WE ARE THE

ex-experts-logo-free-divorce-advice-for-women

WHO WE ARE.

OUR MISSION - OUR STORY

Expand for more...

OUR MISSION

Above all else, exEXPERTS provides reliable, no-nonsense professional resources to help guide you through your divorce. As soon as the thought of uncoupling causes a tear (or twinkle) in your eye, right up until the pen hits the divorce papers and beyond, our community provides instant access to critical information when you need it most. It’s simple to navigate, easy to understand, and written especially for you by us, the exEXPERTS!

jessica-th-clinking-glasses
TH-and-Jessica-hugging

OUR STORY

We are two best friends, who got divorced at the exact same time…and although we had completely different experiences, we were lucky enough to have each other through it all.

Rising from the lack of resources, support and information during our separate journeys, along with the desire to help others maneuver through the process, we created the exEXPERTS online community. We are your reality-check! We are an honest, encouraging and positive space for everyone in any stage of divorce. There isn’t a right way to divorce, but the exEXPERTS can help you find your way.

We’ve lived it so we get it

MEET T.H. IRWIN

“Be present. It’s simple yet can be hard to do. I don’t want to miss anything in my life.” -T.H.

According to Jessica

T.H. is all the things: beautiful, funny, smart and the kind of role model we all want our best friends to be. She is someone to look up to and emulate, because her wisdom is endless. She may be the healthy one, always finding the freshest food and wanting to go on a level 10 hike for 8 hours daily, but she will encourage you the whole way (if you can make it through alive). Her determination has paved the way for her, and everyone lucky enough to be in her inner circle, to benefit from her boldness.

T.H. (and say it like the letters, T period, H period – two letters, simple, people – please don’t call her “THe” or Tracie or Heather) was a gift in my life that I’m not sure I fully deserved. We joke that we got each other in the divorce, but it really is true. My ex was the initial connection, but having each other to listen, laugh and cry as we went through our own divorces at the exact same time sealed our friendship forever.

th-headshot

CLICK FOR More About T.H. (from T.H.)

TH-interests-and-hobbies-collage

ABOUT T.H.

From T.H.

I am a mom of three, happily divorced and living my best life at 50 (learning to be ok with that new age bracket). I have a special “girl gang,” a wonderful family and an amazing boyfriend (yes, I’m still young enough to have one). I surround myself with people who encourage, productively challenge, support, love unconditionally and teach me something new.

I need to feel productive in some capacity every day (addicted to endorphins)! Though, my definition of “productive” has changed over the last several years. A challenging workout or even better an outdoor hike, but lately, my biggest personal challenge is sitting for 20 minutes for guided meditation.

My day begins when I select a mug (and I have dozens) with a printed mantra or design that reflects how I’m feeling that day to go with my herbal tea (addicted to Harney & Sons teas, and love my insta-hot!). And if I’m lucky, my day ends (and weekends begin) with a very dirty martini with endless (unstuffed) olives!

Click on the icons to read even more about T.H.'s personal story!

two-interlocking-broken-wedding-bands-icon-free-divorce-advice-for-women

myDIVORCE

child-and-pet-handprint-icon-divorce-family-resources

myFAMILY

wallet-icon-divorce-finance-and-money-questions-answered

myWALLET

box-of-things-icon-divorce-property-and-assets

mySTUFF

cup-of-tea-icon-divorce-self-care-tips

mySELF

I separated from my ex-husband in 2008. I almost immediately felt like I could breathe, with the removal of a heavy weight that was on my shoulders (and my life) I was able to rediscover a healthier and much happier version of true self.

Since then, I’ve been open to new adventures (I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2012)and have learned and grown from each one differently. The hardest part of that climb was sleeping alone in a tent on a mountain in Africa – being with my thoughts and myself in a land far far away was rejuvenating and revealed my inner strength. I learned to identify toxic relationships (work and personal) and remove them from my life and be present to enjoy the nuggets of life that build happiness. I continue to be a work in progress but will acknowledge that I am the best form of myself today and am very proud of myself for the hard work it took to get here.

I have three great kids (does everyone say that? They are great, that is?) I have two daughters and my favorite (and only) son. They have learned to communicate, advocate for themselves and enjoy the joys of friendship and family.

My full family thought includes my parents, siblings and #girlgang and friends for life. They are my REAL family

I have always had a job, and even created an at-home business for when I lost my job due to an industry scandal with all of my kids under the age of 5!. I like having my own money and am not afraid to work for it.

My fields of expertise are Marketing and Strategy and love the term Intrapreneur (learned this on a podcast – being an entrepreneur within a traditional company). Prior to the launch of exEXPERTS, I was a Director of Experiential Events for Gannett/USA Today and scaled a hyper-local, original event to a national level. I’ve always been energized by creative people, out of the box thinking and no-holds barred initiatives. I have been fortunate to have the support of top management to excel and use my skills (which I wasn’t always aware of) to connect with people, create value for the stakeholders while making a positive impact on the community at large.

mySTUFF

I have too much “stuff”” – remember the dozens of mantra mugs).I love beautiful jewelry, cool sunglasses, sexy shoes, tank tops, fun workout clothing and traveling. I am slowly trying to donate and throw away the non-essential stuff. Identifying what is “not-essential” is tough. (I still have my homecoming sweatshirt from high school).

mySELF

I see myself as ambitious, empathetic, understanding, loving and strong (body and mind). I work very hard at being present – that’s my best post-separation skill!

If I work out in the morning, I am nicer to everyone around me, more productive and stay in shape! I’d take a hike and long walk over anything else (but will do back to back Peloton classes happily!)

I am a very healthy eater. HOWEVER, I am a sucker for a great chocolate chip cookie (I’ll eat a box of Entenmann’s if it’s on the counter), biscotti and a hot, fresh NY slice of pizza.

MEET JESSICA HERZBERG

“Treat others the way you want to be treated. Karma’s only a bitch if you are.” -Jessica

According to T.H.

Name: Jessica Herzberg (and neither is her maiden name). Jessica is smart, articulate and extremely interested. She isn’t afraid to tell you how she feels and is a straight shooter. She is above all, a lady (at least in public, with a trash mouth behind doors). She’s a Swedish Fish fanatic, Taco Bell lover and unabashed orange soda drinker.

Don’t be fooled by her boundless energy, she naps like a champ! She is confident and has a presence when she walks in a room. She’s an unrelenting, never-too-busy friend and at this point, like a sister to me.

We have endured good and bad times together and have mostly laughed (but we are human, so we have shed a few tears) through it all

jessica-headshot

CLICK FOR More About JESSICA (from JESSICA)

Jessica-interests-and-hobbies-collage

ABOUT JESSICA

From Jessica

I’m a Emmy-nominated TV producer, always moving faster than the speed of light, and always with a smile on my face. I’m pushing 50, raising two teenagers that will only live through high school and college if I let them, and fully embracing my happily divorced status.

I am inherently one of the happiest people around, and while it does come naturally for me, I do believe that for most people it’s a conscious choice. For me, each day when I wake up, I choose to look at things in the most positive light.

Despite the circumstances of my divorce, I made a very conscious decision from day one that I would always take the high road, and I have. Maybe to a fault. But it’s allowed me to live my life with the positivity and optimism that I want and need.

Click on the icons to read even more about Jessica's personal story!

two-interlocking-broken-wedding-bands-icon-free-divorce-advice-for-women

myDIVORCE

child-and-pet-handprint-icon-divorce-family-resources

myFAMILY

wallet-icon-divorce-finance-and-money-questions-answered

myWALLET

box-of-things-icon-divorce-property-and-assets

mySTUFF

cup-of-tea-icon-divorce-self-care-tips

mySELF

It’s true that I’m fully embracing my happily divorced, single status (for the second time). My first husband and I were college sweethearts and I never would have thought this is how it would have ended up. But after more than 15 years together, he cheated, and I ended it. It was humiliating and painful and sad and all the things…but I knew I couldn’t stand to be in a situation where I wasn’t valuing my own self-worth – not to mention, I could never set that example of acceptance to my children.

As the eternal optimist that I am, I believe in love and got married again in 2016. Sadly, it did not work out the way I’d hoped and dreamed, but my philosophy remains the same – an amicable end is the best outcome for everyone. I’m proud to say that I am close with both exes, and I’ve got stories upon stories that will make you laugh harder than you thought possible. I’m not just an exEXPERT…I’m told I’m the Ex-Whisperer.

myFAMILY

My kids were the product of a divorce at extremely young ages (2 and 4 yrs old), and it’s the only life they’ve ever known. I joke that I won’t really know how screwed up they are until they’re adults, but truthfully, they are extremely well-adjusted. Plus, I’m not going to lie, they’re super city-savvy, which I love.

I speak to my parents at least once a day, and thank my lucky stars for the love, support and guidance I have been fortunate to get from them every day of my life. I can only hope that one day my kids think the same about me!

I grew up always knowing I’d have a career, and making my own money and being financially independent have always been very important to me. It’s what allowed me to waive spousal support in my divorces, and also what gave me the freedom to buy my own apartments in New York City for myself and my kids as a single woman. I’m a savvy saver, mindful of the lifestyle choices I make, all while living exactly the way I want.

I’ve been a TV producer for more than 22 years, currently at NBC News, but I’ve worked at CBS News, CNBC, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network and others. I worked my way up through the business until I was launching and running my own shows (which you, and your friends/family, have almost certainly seen). It’s a high-pressure, stressful, extremely fast-paced and exciting business, and one that comes with awards, accolades and more celebrity encounters than you can count. But it’s also a career that controls your every minute of every day. There is no room for error, no time off, and the show, literally, must always go on. After more than two decades, I decided to leave for a vastly different field, which would offer me a completely different quality of life. I spent seven years raising my kids and working in the wellness industry as a Certified Aromatherapist, helping others learn to incorporate essential oils into their daily lives. When my son left for college and my daughter was approaching her senior year in high school, I went back to work in TV and am happy I did.

I am deeply grateful for all the things I have in my life, and I recognize how lucky I am. I have learned that all the old cliche sayings are true, money doesn’t buy you happiness and you cannot base your value and self-worth on material things. So while I appreciate that working my ass off has allowed me to buy the things I want and live the lifestyle I live, I try to take a moment each day to just appreciate where I am and what I have.

I am a true believer that everything happens the way that it should, and I can always find the silver lining. I can’t stand negativity in any form – negative energy, negative people, negative outlooks. This has served me well for the first 50 years of my life, and I plan to continue living with the same happy, positive outlook until the very end. I like to stay active and take care of myself, so I exercise regularly and try not to eat fast food and candy for every meal. The struggle is real, but I do my best. I make a concerted effort to stay connected to my friends, because being around people I love and have fun with makes me happy and gives me life.

Stuff we love

(and we think you’ll love too)

Products + Services + Resources
Handpicked by Jessica & T.H. They're exRATED!

styled-desktop