Never Married But The Breakup Felt Like Divorce: Leaving, Healing & Rebuilding with Zoë Nelson
What happens when you share a life—but not a last name? In this raw and deeply relatable episode, Zoë Nelson opens up about walking away from a long-term relationship that mirrored marriage in everything but legality. Fromraising kids to building a home, Zoë had it all—until it all startedunraveling.
She shares what it means to grieve a relationship that doesn’t get the same social support as “real” divorce, theemotional toll of invisible endings, and how she found strength in choosing herself. This is for every woman who’s ever mourned a breakup that left no legal trail—but tore through her life like a storm.
Three Takeaways:
“No ring doesn’t mean no grief.”Breakups without legal ties can still carry the emotional weight of a divorce—and deserve to be honored as such.
“Peace is a full sentence.” Zoë shares how she knew it was time to leave, even without a very dramatic incident—just a deep knowing that peace was no longer present.
“Healing requires visibility.”From therapy to community support, Zoë’s journey highlights how crucial it is for Black and Brown women to have safe spaces that acknowledge all forms of heartbreak.
