A nationwide new podcast series on how to navigate divorce and separation has been launched in the North East.

Each episode of the SplittingUp.com podcast tells the real stories of real people’s experiences before hearing from experts in areas such as family law, finance and mediation, to help others who might be going through a similar situation.

Hosted by award-winning family lawyer Joanne Major, the podcast accompanies a new website designed to help those going through a separation to find help and advice.

In the latest episode “Andrew” tells how close he came to suicide while spending four years in court fighting for a fair financial arrangement and to determine his children’s future.

He used relationship counselling to help him through a court case that eventually ruled in his favour, so listeners hear from a relationship counsellor on the value of therapy during separation and a specialist family lawyer about the risks of going to court and the alternatives now available.

The website SplittingUp.com is a new information and contacts portal for anyone facing a separation, answering the most-frequently asked questions on crucial topics, and helping link people to top experts and lawyers they can contact for advice.

Joanne Major of  Major Family Law is listed in The Legal 500 Hall of Fame as an expert in divorce and family settlement, and created the site and the podcast after more than 25 years advising people struggling to navigate a separation. She said:

“When people are considering a breakdown of a relationship or splitting up for the first time, they often just don’t know where to start. Separation is always traumatic, but getting the right advice makes it easier for everyone.”

Joanne has been working with former BBC Foreign Correspondent Alastair Leithead to develop a new concept based around storytelling and expert interviews.

Court & Counselling: A Dad’s Story is the fifth episode in the series and follows programmes on where to turn for help, managing the family finances and protecting the children, taking the kids abroad and safeguarding the children’s inheritance when moving on.

All the episodes are available here and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.