What you’ll get in this week’s newsletter

Interview with Oona Metz of 5 stages of divorce

Book giveaway!

This week on Positively Joy

The bookshelf

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FEATURED BOOK THIS WEEK

Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women

Unhitched inspires women to use their divorce as a transformational opportunity for growth and self-discovery. Whether making the decision to end a marriage, coping during separation, dealing with the rollercoaster of emotions, coparenting, or navigating life after divorce, this book guides you forward. Click here.

The 5 Stages of Divorce with Oona Metz

Divorce is one of life’s most challenging transitions, often filled with complex emotions and uncertainty about the future. I spoke with therapist and group leader, Oona Metz, who has developed a compassionate and practical model outlining the five stages of divorce grief.

About 15 years ago, Oona faced her own divorce, which sparked a desire to find supportive community and guidance for herself and other women in similar situations. When she found few resources available, she took the initiative to create her own.

Divorce Grief: A New Model

While many people are familiar with the Kubler-Ross model of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance — Oona found this framework didn’t quite fit the unique emotional landscape of divorce. Instead, she developed a new model based on her clinical work and real-life stories from women in her support groups. This model breaks down the emotional journey into five stages:

Heartbreak

The Roller Coaster

Mending

Letting Go

Moving On

She encourages women to use this five-stage model as a flexible guide rather than a rigid checklist. Some may find certain stages resonate more than others, and that’s perfectly normal. The key is to recognize where you are on your journey and to find ways to nurture yourself through each phase.

One powerful insight Oona shares is the importance of doing the “work of grieving.” Avoiding or rushing through grief can lead to depression or repeating unhealthy relationship patterns. Instead, embracing the grief allows for self-awareness, healing, and growth. Watch or listen to this episode to learn more.

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Book giveaway!

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Latest podcast episode

The Positively Joy Podcast helps Christian women through separation and divorce. This is a tough subject for many women in Christian settings. God put it on my heart to talk about my divorce and help women find joy!

This is NOT an anti-marriage podcast. LISTEN AND SHARE this message and HELP my new audience find it! Let's amplify this message! Listen on positivelyjoy.com, Spotify, Apple and wherever you listen!

THE BOOKSHELF

Whether you're looking for heartwarming stories, thrilling adventures, or inspiring reads, you'll find the perfect book to enjoy during the long weekend. Don't miss out on our limited-time offers—grab your favorite titles at a discount! Perfect for gifts, or just treating yourself to a great read.

These mysteries and suspense novels feature an array of authors, including my bestie author, Liz Bullard! I’m in there, too!

Searching for your next favorite story?

Look no further! These bestselling authors have teamed up to offer a delightful selection of new books. Available for a limited time.

Want news with a Christian perspective?

Try The PourOver. Each news report is followed by scripture or a Christian comment.

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Yvette Walker is a journalist, educator and the founder of Positively Joy Ministries. Her ministry supports this blog, a podcast, publishing her many books and opportunities to share the message of joy.

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