For Expats
You didn’t plan for this to happen here.
Separation is one of the hardest things a person can go through. When you're living far from home as an expatriate, it's something else entirely.
You moved abroad for a life that made sense at the time. Maybe you followed a partner's career. Maybe you came for an opportunity, an adventure, a fresh start. Maybe you gave up your own career to make it work - your professional identity, your independence, your network - all left behind.
And now the relationship has broken down. And you are dealing with that grief, that loss, that fear. Far from your family and from the legal system you may be more familiar with. Possibly far from your children, or terrified that you might be.
This is one of the most disorienting, frightening situations a person can face. And most people have absolutely no idea where to start.
It’s not just separation. It’s separation with complications.
When you separate as an expatriate, the questions multiply fast. Which country's law applies to you? Where do you file (if you even have to file)? What happens to the assets you've built overseas? If you have children - where will they live? What are your rights if your ex-partner takes them back to their home country and refuses to return?
These are not straightforward questions. And navigating local legal services as an expat adds another layer of complexity. You already know from your expat life that there are different processes, different communication styles, and an assumption of local knowledge that you don't have. Meanwhile, engaging lawyers back in your home country from the other side of the world might seem expensive, slow, and often unsatisfying.
Most expats going through separation describe the same experience: enormous cost, enormous confusion, and the feeling that nobody they've spoken to truly understands their situation.
There may be another layer of fear in relation to your long term living arrangements or your visa. For many expatriates, residency is tied to a spouse or a shared life that is now ending. Separation can feel not just like the end of a marriage, but like the potential end of a life you have built here - your home, your routine, your community. That fear is real, and it needs to be at the forefront of the conversation.
For many expatriates, particularly those who have lived here for years, this is not a ‘foreign country’. It is home. Separation does not just threaten the marriage but can feel like it threatens the life and community that you have built.
And then there are children.
If you have children, the stakes are even higher. Where they live, which schools they attend, how much time each parent gets, what happens when one parent wants to move back to the home country. These are the decisions that will shape the rest of their lives and yours.
In the most serious cases, a parent refuses to return children after a visit to their home country. What was a holiday becomes something far more frightening. If you are dealing with this or are worried it could happen, you need to understand your rights urgently.
International child abduction and the Hague Convention on parental child abduction are areas I have worked in. If this is your situation, please reach out immediately so that we can schedule an urgent session and/or I can assist with an urgent referral.
Someone who understands both worlds.
I'm a UAE-based divorce coach and former Family Lawyer with almost 25 years of experience in the Australian and New Zealand family law systems. I have appeared as instructing solicitor in the Australian Family Law Courts thousands of times, including in the High Court of Australia.
I know what it means to uproot your life, leave your career behind, navigate a new identity and build something new in a country that isn't your own. I know what it feels like to be far from your legal system, your support network, and everything familiar. I’ll likely know what questions you need to be asking before you spend a cent on anyone.
I'm a DCA® Certified Divorce Coach and the author of two Amazon bestselling books on separation, grief, and the family law process.
I want to be completely transparent: I am not practicing law and I cannot give you legal advice. What I can do is help you understand your landscape, get clear on your situation, and make sure you're not walking into expensive legal appointments unprepared - or making decisions you'll regret because nobody helped you think them through first. I’ll provide clarity and likely save you thousands of dollars.
The Expat Strategy Session.
This is a focused, one-on-one session designed specifically for expats navigating separation from abroad.
In 90 minutes, we'll work through your specific situation: where you are, where your life is anchored, what you're most worried about, and what you need to understand before you make any decisions. You'll leave with clarity, a sense of what your realistic options might look like, and a clear idea of what to do next - including what professional advice you need and where to get it. If you need a lawyer then we will talk through options and ways to minimise your legal fees.
For many clients, one session reframes everything. It doesn't solve the problem -- nothing does that quickly -- but it means you stop spinning and start moving.
“For many expats, this isn't a foreign country.It's home. Separation doesn't just threaten a marriage — it threatens everything you've built here"
This is a focused 90 minute session for expatriates navigating separation from abroad. We'll work through your situation — where you are, what you're most worried about, and what you need to understand before you make any decisions. You'll leave knowing what questions to ask and who to ask them to.
You'll leave with clarity and a clear sense of what to do next. A reminder that this is not legal advice but you will be better prepared for your next step. Once payment is made please book via the booking button.
Separate Ways™
The Expat Strategy Session
This is for you if …
You are living outside your home country as an expatriate and your relationship has broken down - or you are starting to think seriously about separation and don't know what it means from where you're standing.
You are British Australian, New Zealander or South African or from another common law country, and you're not sure whether to deal with this where you live now or back home.
You have children and you're frightened about what separation means for them, especially if there's any risk of a dispute about where they will live, or whether they will be returned to you.
You've tried to get legal advice and left more confused than when you started.
You haven't spoken to anyone yet because you genuinely don't know where to begin.
You want to understand your situation before you spend serious money. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
The Expat Strategy Session
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This is a focused 90 minute session for expatriates navigating separation from abroad. We'll work through your situation — where you are, what you're most worried about, and what you need to understand before you make any decisions. You'll leave knowing what questions to ask and who to ask them to.
You'll leave with clarity and a clear sense of what to do next. A reminder that this is not legal advice but you will be better prepared for your next step. Once payment is made please book via the booking button.
I heard it through the Grapevine …
"Shaya showed professionalism, care and patience. Her knowledge of family law made what could have been a long and expensive process both affordable and fair. I will happily recommend to others"
— Rebecca
"I doubt I could have held on for as long as I did without your reasoning and expert advice. I could not have done without you guiding me through the process. I will never forget what you have done for me"
— Pete
"From the outset, Shaya allayed my fears and explained everything clearly and carefully. She was professional and supportive - I knew her heart was in the right spot"
— Jude
"Shaya has been very transparent with how to manage such troublesome times, great suggestions to help resolve unexpected hurdles along the way. It wasn’t just the legalities, the whole time was met with empathy and understanding which made this tough experience a much smoother process"
— Shaun
"I was not prepared mentally or financially for the next 14 months of team meetings, phone calls, assessments and counselling however having Shaya on my side made the process much less stressful. She communicated in plain English to help me prepare for every scenario along the way"
— Angelique
"I cannot thank you enough for everything. You were so compassionate, caring, efficient and professional"
— Latifah
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