Reconstructing Happy

Reconstructing Happy was born out of my grief from my own divorce. I had been a stay-at-home mom and the primary caregiver to my two young children (ages 7 and 9 at the time of my separation). I suddenly found myself without my children one night per week and every other weekend. This created a painful void for me, and I needed to not only manage my feelings but I needed to fill my time in a healthy way; and so I began to write. I had never intended for my book to be published or sold. I had been using my writing as an outlet for my own feelings and it’s how I chose to work through what was happening in my own life. Over time, and with the encouragement of some very special people, I realized that I could help others who were going through a similar experience. With the help of some trusted professionals, I transformed my journal-like document into a comprehensive and personal 3-in-1 resource for divorcing parents. The first part of my book tells my story. In the early days of my separation, I had turned to the bookshelves to try and find support. While there are many resourceful and useful books on divorce, I found that they were too clinical and preachy for what I had been looking for, and they didn’t give me what I needed. I wanted a real story from a real person who had gone through a real experience. In short, I wanted to be able to relate and connect to what I was reading. And so, in the absence of this, I created one.

With the help of a trusted and reputable health care professional who generously contributed to my book, I was able to inject my story with some helpful clinical information and advice.

The third aspect of my book is the section on the “business of divorce”. Here, with the help of several family law lawyers and financial analysts in both Canada and the US, I was able to provide my readers with a “how to” guide which has proven to be a valuable resource for my readers.