About Kristen

My name is Kristen M. Ploetz and my experience with divorce is both personal and professional.

Ending a long-term marriage, especially one with children, results in a lot of emotions, and I have experienced them all.

At the age of 49, after being married to a wonderful man for more than twenty years, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: I ended our marriage. Neither of us had done anything wrong and our marriage—our lives together—checked all the boxes. But over time I realized that my head and heart needed to be with a woman. I reached the hard truth that I needed to leave the marriage even though it would completely upend my spouse’s life, our daughter’s, and my own.

Going through the process of divorce and losing the label of “spouse” is challenging enough, but perhaps more so when you are also simultaneously coming out as LGBTQ+ because even more of your identity—the you you and everyone else thought they knew—is now also on display.

I am also a child of divorce myself: my parents separated the summer before I started college and divorced not long after. I understand what it means when parents divorce right around the time a young adult is finding their footing on the path to independence. How parents approach their divorce and any inability to manage conflict or put their children’s best interests first can often have significant negative consequences for their children, even long after the divorce is final.

Professionally, I have been a licensed attorney since 2002. Most recently, I practiced as a family law attorney and mediator. My litigation clients and their divorces ranged from amicable to high conflict, and I supported each of them in the different ways they needed as they walked the path toward their new lives. As a trained family law mediator, I have worked as a third-party neutral in several divorce mediations, assisting divorcing couples in reaching full settlement.

Bringing all of these experiences toward work that feels more fulfilling to me personally, I left family law litigation to become a CDC Certified Divorce Coach to help other women like me, those of us in midlife needing a change, no matter what the stakes may be. Additionally, because I believe so fervently in the alternative dispute resolution process as a better path to resolve most divorces, I also pursued additional pre-mediation divorce coaching training from the Divorce Coaches Academy (DCA). I’m proud to have received divorce coaching training from both CDC and DCA, two institutions that have and uphold clear ethical and continuing education standards for effective and meaningful divorce coaching, which is important for clients and other divorce professionals to understand since many divorce coaches do not have this (or any) caliber of training and professional standards.

To provide my services as a divorce coach, KMP Coaching LLC was launched in 2025. I meet virtually with divorce coaching clients from all across the U.S. It is among the most fulfilling, meaningful work I’ve ever done.

In my spare time, I am an avid reader, run a virtual short story book club, enjoy walking, love to explore bakeries and independent bookstores, and surround myself with my favorite people, including my daughter who is soon off to college. I also love to write and currently have a couple of projects in the works, including a memoir and short story collection, so that I can hopefully put my MFA in creative writing to good use with a published book someday.

FAQs

For Potential Clients

For Divorce Professionals

What is divorce coaching?

Divorce coaching is not legal or financial advice. Divorce coaching is not therapy.

Instead, divorce coaching is a forward-thinking process which results in a transformational experience for you as client, either before, during, and/or after a divorce. As a divorce coach, I am your thinking partner, sounding board, and avid supporter for what you want next, and helping you get there. Using various coaching tools, I help you identify what steps you need to take in order to live your life as the most authentic and best version of yourself.

My coaching services consist of a flexible, goal-oriented process designed to support, motivate, and guide you if you are thinking of divorce or already going through divorce, and help you make the best possible decisions for your future based on your unique interests, needs, and concerns.

The American Bar Association defines divorce coaching as a flexible, goal-oriented process designed to support, motivate, and guide people going through divorce to help them make the best possible decisions for their future, based on their particular interests, needs, and concerns.

The International Coaching Federation, ICF, defines coaching (in general) as: Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

What services do you offer?

At KMP Coaching LLC, we specialize in providing personalized divorce coaching solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients. Our services include one-on-one coaching sessions, group workshops, and other resources designed to help individuals navigate the challenges of divorce effectively and positively.

How can I schedule a consultation?

To schedule a free discovery session/consultation with KMP Coaching LLC, please email us at [email protected] or visit our Contact page and will get back to you promptly to arrange a suitable time for your session.

What can I expect during a coaching session?

During a coaching session, you can expect a supportive and confidential environment where we will discuss your specific challenges and goals related to divorce. Our coaching approach is designed to empower you with strategies and insights that promote personal growth, clarity in decision making, and healing throughout the process.

Are your coaching sessions confidential?

Yes, all coaching sessions at KMP Coaching LLC are strictly confidential. We prioritize your privacy and ensure that any information shared during our sessions remains secure and private, allowing you to speak freely and openly about your experiences.

What is the duration of each coaching session?

Each coaching session typically lasts for 60 minutes, providing ample time to explore your concerns and develop actionable strategies. We can adjust the duration based on your needs and preferences, ensuring you receive the support you require.

How do I pay for the coaching services?

We accept various payment methods, including credit cards and Venmo, making it convenient for you to complete your transaction.

What is a CDC Certified Divorce Coach?

Not all divorce coaches are alike. The CDC is a certified divorce coaching program and is recognized around the world as the professional standard for divorce specialty coaching. CDC Certified Divorce Coaches go through rigorous training, have an ongoing continuing education requirement, and must adhere to a defined standard of ethics and professional responsibility and code of ethics.

Since you are also an attorney who practices family law, can you give me legal advice as a divorce coach?

No. My role as divorce coach is strictly limited to coaching services only. While I can give you general information about divorce and help you get organized and focused to work with your divorce attorney, I do not and cannot provide legal advice as a divorce coach. There is no attorney-client relationship being formed. I strongly encourage each of my clients to retain a qualified and licensed divorce attorney so they have access to comprehensive legal advice during the divorce process.

Are you “pro-divorce”?

While the title “divorce coach” might seem to suggest that I’m always actively advocating for divorce in every situation, that’s not my role. Indeed divorce is not the right path for some clients. Instead, I support and work with clients who are contemplating whether to divorce their spouse or who are already actively in the process of going through a divorce, and help them make decisions, communicate more effectively, and process emotions that align with their best self.

What makes you stand out as a divorce coach?

Not only do I have rigorous training and skills gained as a CDC Certified Divorce Coach, I am a family law attorney and mediator with comprehensive insight informed by my experience as a legal professional working with divorcing clients. I also personally went through the divorce process myself after being married for than 20 years, and am a child of divorce as well. Read more about my story and credentials here.

More importantly, I come to divorce coaching with a collaborative, empathic, and curious mindset. I personally deeply understand what it is like to dissolve a long-term marriage in midlife, as well as what it is like to come out as LGBTQ+ during that process. Divorce is not a failure, and neither is discovering that something that once felt right, no longer fits. Even in a “good” or amicable divorce, there can be many emotional, financial, and logistical challenges that arise, often unexpectedly. Knowing this, I listen to my clients’ personal histories and visions for their futures with compassion and enthusiasm, encouraging a growth mindset that allows each client to live her most authentic self as she moves forward on the path toward her new life. I know and offer the kind of support (and sense of humor) it takes to stay focused on making good decisions without second-guessing.

Do you meet with clients in person?

In most cases, sessions and meetings will take place virtually (via Zoom). But in some circumstances, in-person meetings are possible depending on where the client resides, which will be determined on a case by case basis. I also offer in-person “courthouse tours” as described on my Services page.

How long do divorce coaching sessions last and how frequently do you meet clients?

Most one-on-one sessions are typically 60 minutes. Divorce coaching sessions work best with consistency and relative frequency, usually every week or every two weeks. Sessions are bundled into 1, 3 and 6 month packages.

Why should my client work with you as a divorce coach?

As most family law attorneys know, the legal process of divorce can be an emotionally stressful time for clients, and it can be costly, time-consuming, and slow. This can often lead to a client becoming disorganized, indecisive, impatient, and not having a clear focus on their future, which can then turn into multiple lengthy and costly conversations between you and your client. But by working with me as a divorce coach, your client can come to conversations, settlement discussions, mediation, and even litigation fully prepared and ready to move through the divorce more efficiently in a way that allows you to focus solely and strategically on the legal process. And because of my experience as a family law attorney and mediator, a divorce coach like me can assist your clients in many ways, including by helping them get their financial and other relevant documents in order, work through their goals for parenting plans that serve the best interests of the children, identify ideas for their short- and long-term financial goals, and work through their many emotions of the separation and divorce process.

Is it going to be expensive for my client?

Most divorce coaches charge less per hour than a family law attorney’s typical hourly rate, sometimes more than 50% less depending on the region. When clients get organized and process their emotions with a divorce coach rather than their attorney, it saves the client money in the long run and allows the retainer for legal services to remain more fully intact for the legal process of divorce.

You are an attorney. Will you be providing legal advice to the client?

No. Although I am a licensed attorney who is experienced in family law and I remain Of Counsel in a limited capacity at a private law firm where I prepare prenuptial agreements and act as a neutral, third-party family law mediator, my role as a divorce coach for KMP Coaching LLC does not allow for the provision of legal advice or services since it would be considered the unauthorized practice of law. My Client Agreement expressly states this and provides disclaimers confirming that each coaching client understands that no attorney-client relationship is being formed with me. My role as coach is to provide general information about divorce as needed, but not legal advice—and I work with clients to ensure that they seek proper legal representation and/or consult their divorce attorney as questions arise that are specific to their case.

Does the American Bar Association support divorce coaching?

Yes! Read the American Bar Association’s article in ABA Journal (April 2024) about divorce coaching here.

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