Grief and Relief: You Can Feel Both After Divorce

Oona Metz is therapist and an author who helps people hold grief and relief at the same time. This is a conversation about navigating the messy middle of divorce — that gap between who you were as a partner and who you're becoming alone. About the transition anxiety that comes when ending something feels like failure AND freedom. For anyone starting over after a relationship and wondering if it's okay to feel both sad and relieved. Oona shares why divorce grief is complicated (you're mourning what you lost AND what you never had), how to set boundaries when your ex is still in your life, and what it means to rebuild identity when half of it was built around someone else. You'll hear why overthinking every decision kept her stuck, how to hold mixed emotions without choosing sides, and why major life changes after divorce aren't just about logistics — they're about becoming someone you don't recognize yet. In this episode: - Why you can grieve the marriage AND be relieved it's over - The anxiety and overthinking of starting over after divorce - How to set boundaries with an ex - Grief for who you were as a couple - Navigating major life changes in identity after divorce - Holding mixed emotions without toxic positivity - Emotional regulation when everything feels contradictory - Transition anxiety in the gap between married and single If you’re considering separation, in the messy middle, or rebuilding on the other side, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to do this without support. Get Connected & Support the Show: - Follow Oona Metz on Instagram - Get connected with Oona Metz (with links to order her upcoming book) - Subscribe, rate, & review It's Both on Apple Podcasts - Join the Courageous Living Group Transformation - Listen to the companion podcast: It's Both- Guided Meditations for Anxiety, Emotional Regulation, & Real Life Transitions