How to Split a Toaster
A Divorce Podcast about Saving Your Relationships
Seth Nelson is a Tampa-based family lawyer known for devising creative solutions to difficult problems. In How to Split a Toaster, Nelson and co-host Pete Wright take on the challenge of divorce with a central objective: saving your most important relationships with your family, your former spouse, and yourself.
From an early age, he has always wanted to help people. After law school he found that he could do the greatest good by helping people through one of the most difficult times of their lives. Being a divorcee himself, as well as a father, he understands what you’re going through.
“I have been through a divorce and have a young child. As difficult as the divorce process can be, especially when there are kids involved, things will get better.”
In his practice, Seth focuses on Florida divorce law, Florida family law, and Florida family law mediation. On the Toaster, however, he offers a platform for exploring the extraordinarily wide range of topics that impact you through your divorce, all with an eye on saving your most important relationships.
Season 9
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Season Seven Mailbag! Questions From Our Listeners
We’re closing out our seventh season with more listener questions. From relationships with your ex’s kids from a previous marriage and threats from your ex, to PTSD in the courtroom and bigamy, we cover a wide range of topics. Plus, we look at exceptional/unique/unusual divorces and what that means.
Divorce Through the Kids’ Eyes: A Conversation with Documentary Filmmaker Ellen Bruno About ‘Split’
Ellen Bruno, the award-winning documentary filmmaker behind ‘Split: The Early Years’ and ‘Split Up: The Teen Years’ joins Seth and Pete to talk about how children see divorce, and what she’s learned through her films and having conversations with a dozen children of divorce at several points in their lives.
Estate Planning & Appealing Your Divorce: When Final Doesn’t Mean Finished
You’re done with your divorce. That means you’re done with lawyers, right? Not necessarily! In today’s episode, Seth and Pete talk about a few cases in which you may need to talk to a lawyer again – if you want to appeal your divorce, and for post-divorce estate planning. Plus, we have three listener questions! Tune in!
Parent Coordination 101
If you have minor kids in your divorce, you might find yourself working in some capacity with a parent coordinator. Today, we’re going back to basics: what does the parent coordinator do? What are their responsibilities? How do they relate to the court and the legal process? Today, we're going back to school on parent coordination.
Surviving the Vocational Evaluation
Do you love performance reviews? Do you live for that feeling you get when you know someone else is watching you and determining your value at work based on things that are largely out of your control? Then you’re going to love today’s topic: Vocational Evaluation.
Winning Your Divorce! with exExperts Jessica Klingbaum and T.H. Irwin
What does ‘winning your divorce’ mean? In today’s episode, exExperts Jessica Klingbaum and T.H. Irwin join Seth and Pete to talk about their own divorce journeys and how that brought them to become the exExperts they are today. The conversation ranges from the power of social support to trying to break through the shame around divorce, from better understanding the divorce process to learning to be present. Plus, they tell us about their upcoming virtual summit called WIN YOUR DIVORCE. Tune in!
HSPs: Navigating Divorce When You’re a Highly Sensitive Person with Chris Lyon
Nearly 30% of us are highly sensitive people – or HSPs – and if you count yourself in that group, it makes divorce a materially different experience. In this episode, Chris Lyon, a relationship author and facilitator, talks with Seth and Pete about the challenge of navigating the big emotions that come with divorce, why being defensive is your weakest position, and why empathy is the one thing you need to have.
The Lifelong Journey to Being a Better Human... and Not an A-Hole with Author and Filmmaker Brian Ronalds
Brian Ronalds, author of the How Not to Be an A-Hole series, returns to the show! This time, he’s talking with Seth and Pete about the broader strokes of learning not to be an a-hole, working with your ex when they’re still an a-hole, and generally working to just be a better human. Tune in!
Coming to Terms with the Male/Female Dynamics in Relationships with Dr. Ricky Arenson
Dr. Ricky Arenson is a leading Australian endocrinologist, husband, and stand-up comic, as well as the author of "Women Are Superior to Men: The REAL Secret to a Fantastic Marriage, Joyful Parenting & Better Sex!" and he joins us today to talk about the important truth couples are missing in their relationships.
Parental Alienation and the Law: The Case of Ty and Brynlee Larson
Parental alienation is a controversial topic, and one currently in the news in the case of two kids in Utah who have barricaded themselves in their room to avoid a court ruling telling them they have to spend time with their father, who they say abused them. So how does this all play out in the courts? Is parental alienation a real thing? And how do lawyers navigate it when it’s brought into a case? A listener question spurred us on to have this full-episode discussion. Tune in!
Untangling the Mess of Divorce Financials with Forensic Accountant Tracy Coenen
We dig into the world of forensic accounting with Tracy Coenen. Tracy’s a forensic accountant and is behind The Divorce Money Guide, a tool that helps you understand your money and uncover where money might be hiding your divorce. She talks with us about what you can do to untangle the mess of marriage financials and figure out if you’re the victim of financial abuse. Plus, we have a listener question!
When Co-Parenting Just Doesn’t Work: The Solution? Parallel Parenting
Seth and Pete talk about the challenges of parenting when divorced parents just can’t make things work. It’s called Parallel Parenting. Is it okay for the kids? How does it work? And how do parents handle the challenges that come with it?
Listener Question! Common Misconceptions About Divorce
Our listener question last week spurred us on to record this special episode about common misconceptions in the divorce process. Sterling Lovelady, an attorney with Seth at NLG, joins him and Pete to set you straight.
Being Black in the World of Divorce with Mike Easterling
Mike Easterling, co-host of the Just Being Brothers podcast, joins Seth and Pete to talk about the black perspective on divorce, as well as gray divorce. How does being black change the divorce equation? What does church have to do with it? Education? It’s a wide-ranging conversation that comes with a great viewpoint. Plus, we have some listener questions!
Finding Hope When You Feel Like an Impostor: Combating Impostor Syndrome with Lauren Abrams
Lauren Abrams, attorney and podcaster behind the 52 Weeks of Hope podcast, joins Seth and Pete to talk about the challenges of impostor syndrome and how that can affect you during your divorce.
Marriage Breakdown During the Menopausal Transition with Alison Bladh
Every woman goes through menopause in their lives, but how can it affect your relationships? How can you combat the negative symptoms that come with it? And what can you do as a partner to be more aware of what she’s going through? Alison Bladh, who specializes in menopausal women’s health, joins Seth and Pete to discuss this important topic.
How Does Rover Handle Visitation? A Conversation with Pet Custody Mediator Karis Nafte
Listener favorite Karis Nafte, pet custody mediator and certified dog behavior consultant from South Africa, returns to talk with Seth and Pete about the challenges of visitation in the world of pets. Can it work? Are certain breeds better at adapting than others? And what’s really the bottom line when it comes to the welfare of your dog? Plus, we have a listener question!
Slaying the DRAGON: Cutting Through Divorce Conflict with Diane Dierks and Rick Voyles
Diane Dierks and Rick Voyles from the Co-Parenting Dilemmas podcast join Seth and Pete today to teach us how parents can reframe conflict. Diane and Rick talk about their acronym DRAGON and how divorced parents struggling with conflict can use it to cut back those challenges.
Dissolving Your WAFFLES with Dr. Katie Nall
Dr. Katie Nall joins Seth and Pete to talk about a technique you can use to get rid of your WAFFLES – worry, anxiety, fear, frustration, lethargy, exhaustion, and stress. It’s called EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique. Some know it as tapping. Some people might be skeptical, but if it works, it’s worth a try, right? We learn a bit about it and even give it a try in this episode.
The 90-Day Relationship Cleanse with Deborah Driggs
Deborah Driggs is back with Pete and Seth this week to discuss her 90-day relationship cleanse! Looking to build new, healthy habits after a rough separation? Start here!