Life Changes & Divorce Magazine Canada – Fall 2025
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Human First. Every Step Matters.
People shouldn’t have to shout to be noticed. Or break down to be believed.
But far too often, that’s the reality, at work, in community spaces and even in our closest relationships
Across Canada, people are silently navigating divorce, abuse, grief, caregiving and trauma And while they manage these deeply personal challenges, many still show up every day to jobs, meetings, family obligations, trying to “hold it together” in environments not built to hold them
We’re told to leave our problems at the door
But real life doesn’t work that way And real people shouldn’t have to pretend it does
Canadian businesses lose over $1.5 billion annually due to the ripple effects of life transitions through absenteeism, presenteeism, turnover & lost productivity.
But those numbers only tell part of the story. Behind every data point is a person, often trying to survive in silence.
This is the cultural blind spot we must address, both in the workplace and in our communities
Because when someone’s struggling, whether it’s a colleague, client, neighbor, or friend, what they need most isn’t judgement or avoidance. It’s space Safety Support That’s what we are here to offer
Our mission is twofold:
To inform & empower individuals moving through major life changes, especially divorce & abuse
And to build awareness inside businesses, schools and communities about the human realities affecting performance, retention and connection
Whether you’re leading a company or holding your family together through change, you are doing important work
This issue is for you, the builders, the listeners, the quiet changemakers
The ones asking:
“How can we lead effectively?”
“What are we not seeing yet?”
“How can we take better care of our people?”
The truth is, no transformation happens all at once. We create change the same way we climb ladders, one step at a time.
This fall, as we look toward what’s next, I want to challenge the idea that compassion is optional.
If you’re here, you’re already on that path And every step you take, to learn, to lead, to listen, counts more than you know
Inside this issue, I share a deeper look into these ripple effects in “What Most People Miss About Divorce and Life Changes at Work.”
Because support doesn’t have to be complicated It just has to be real
Deena
with Deena Kordt
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NAVIGATING LIFE’S STORMS
Insights from a Men’s Recovery Coach
“INSIDE EVERY MAN IS A BROKEN BOY THAT NEEDS TO BE HEALED.”
Life doesn’t move in straight lines. It twists, crashes, and sometimes drags us into storms we never saw coming. Divorce, addiction, depression. For many men, those storms feel like the end of the road For recovery coach Zan Gallant, they became the turning point
His story is one of collapse and resurrection. A descent into addiction, loss, and despair, followed by the hard climb back toward resilience, meaning, and purpose. Today, he devotes his life to guiding men through their darkest seas
Zan grew up in Sparwood, BC, before life carried him to London, England. For five years, he partied hard, drank heavily, and spiraled into drug use. He married there, became a father, and eventually returned to Canada only to watch his marriage dissolve
The custody battle that followed was brutal. His ex-wife wanted to take their young son to England. Zan, determined not to repeat his own father’s absence, fought fiercely He won, but the scars ran deep
From there, his life spun out Reckless dating, a second marriage consumed by alcohol and drugs, and what he calls his “year of hell.” Depression, blackout drinking, prescription abuse, cocaine, and nights he barely survived
Then came December 1, 2014 Another blackout weekend. Another moment of truth.
“You’ll find your rock bottom or hit it when you stop digging.”
That day, Zan put down the shovel
The Shift: From Engineering to Coaching
Nine years sober, Zan knows recovery is more than quitting. It is about uncovering the wounds and patterns beneath
For years, he worked in engineering It paid well but left him hollow. With encouragement from his girlfriend, he left the security of his career to pursue recovery coaching. The early days were lean, with little to no income, but the work gave him meaning
Today, he works with teenagers in local high schools and with men in midlife facing addiction, divorce, and hidden battles. He has built safe spaces where men can speak the truths they have buried for decades Zan Says:
“Men are hugely underrepresented in mental health. Women often have strong support networks. Men don’t. That silence is killing
us.”
Life changes can come gently or they can arrive like a storm, upending everything you thought you knew For Nicole Ashley, her 33-year marriage was a mix of devotion, doubt, and deep personal struggle. Her candid interview on the Life Changes Channel’s “Divorce Diaries” podcast revealed not only the challenges she faced, but also the tools, insights, and faith that ultimately guided her toward hope and healing.
The Early Years: Unseen Wounds
Nicole married at just 20, swept into a relationship rooted in shared Christian values. She met her future husband at a youth retreat, but even before the wedding day, she felt unease calling off the engagement once, only to feel pressured back into the relationship.
Behind her hesitation were unresolved personal traumas, including inappropriate touch at age 11 and family experiences with abuse These early wounds blurred her understanding of love and trust. Her fiancé showed signs of volatility throwing or breaking things when upset but societal pressures and family expectations pushed her to go through with the wedding.
Moving to Ontario left her isolated from her support network Within weeks of the honeymoon, Nicole was expecting her first child, and the emotional volatility at home continued. Outbursts weren’t aimed directly at her, but the unpredictability left lasting scars trauma she didn’t yet have the language to name
When Love Isn’t Enough
For over three decades, Nicole tried to make the marriage work But her health began to crumble under the strain 25 years of fibromyalgia symptoms, constant fatigue, and the emotional weight of living with uncertainty.
Her breaking point came when she discovered the Cycle of Violence wheel at a counseling service in Winnipeg. It named behaviors she had endured for years: intimidation, emotional abuse, isolation, financial control, and coercion None of it left bruises, but all of it eroded her sense of self
Nicole made ten attempts to leave before it finally stuck a reality many survivors will recognize Love, fear for her husband’s mental health, and lack of resources kept her trapped for years
“I loved him for one thing which is common but also I was afraid of his mental state for the most part I was afraid if he was going to commit suicide I was afraid for a lot of different reasons and I just lacked a lot of resources and knowledge”
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