Episode Details
May 30, 2025
31 minutes
- Divorce Through Child Eyes: Doug's relatively transparent parental separation vs. Jeremy's experience with unsafe environments.
- Refuge Finding: How Jeremy turned to sports and friends for stability while Doug leaned into his stepfamily's safety.
- Abandonment's Long Shadow: Why childhood instability manifests as adult relationship fears decades later.
- Healing Touchpoints: The step-parents, aunts, and mentors who became emotional lifelines.
- Parental Expectation Management: How both hosts navigate lingering unrealistic hopes about their mothers.
Featured Quotes
"Sports saved me. When home was chaos, that basketball court was the one place I could control the outcome."
Jeremy Axel
"My stepmom didn't replace my mother - she became proof that safety could exist after abandonment."
Doug Cox
Episode Transcript And Overview
What happens when home isn't safe? In this vulnerable episode, Doug and Jeremy unpack their childhoods as children of divorce - and how those early fractures shaped their adult emotional landscapes. Doug shares how his parents' transparency prevented self-blame at age five, while Jeremy reveals how sports became his sanctuary from domestic chaos. They trace how childhood abandonment fears still echo in their adult relationships decades later, and dissect why Doug could trust his stepmother's stability while Jeremy found refuge in his aunt's unconditional love. Through raw personal histories, they explore how to identify healing touchpoints, manage unrealistic parental expectations, and transform childhood survival mechanisms into adult resilience tools. This is essential listening for anyone rebuilding security after early trauma.
Timeline Notes
Introduction
Today’s episode topic is near and dear to Doug and Jeremy: growing up with a divorced parent.This can be a touchy topic, particularly as the feelings you experience as a child manifest in unexpected ways as an adult.
Doug’s parents divorced about a month before his fifth birthday. They were very transparent about what was going on, and Doug never felt that it was his fault.
Doug’s parents divorced about a month before his fifth birthday. They were very transparent about what was going on, and Doug never felt that it was his fault.
Jeremy grew up in an unsafe environment due to his parents’ divorce. He found refuge in his friends and in sports.
Doug always viewed his father and stepmom as a safe place, so they proved his fear of abandonment wrong. However, there were still elements he missed in his connection with his mom.
eremy still struggles with his fear of abandonment. He found some safety in his stepdad’s family and in his Aunt Diana.
Doug and Jeremy sometimes still have unrealistic expectations of their parents, specifically their mothers, stemming from their childhoods.
Notable Guests
Adi Klevit
Founder | CEO
Adi Klevit
Founder | CEO
Adi Klevit is the Founder of Business Success Consulting Group and the host of the Systems Simplified podcast. With nearly three decades of experience as an industrial engineer and process consultant, she has helped hundreds of growth-focused companies systematize their operations to scale successfully.
Known as “The Process Guru,” Adi specializes in designing and implementing turnkey systems that reduce dependence on the owner, empower teams, and increase profitability. Her clients range from fast-growing trades businesses to multi-location professional service firms, and she is a trusted advisor to CEOs across the U.S.
Joe Dillon
Divorce Mediator & Founder
Joe Dillon
Divorce Mediator & Founder
Joe is a pioneer in divorce mediation who has been helping couples navigate the end of their marriages with dignity and financial wisdom for over 17 years. As co-founder of Equitable Mediation Services, Joe combines his MBA in Finance with specialized training from Harvard, MIT, and Northwestern University to guide couples toward agreements that protect both their emotional wellbeing and financial futures.
Joe pioneered virtual divorce mediation in 2011, nearly a decade before others adopted online practices during the pandemic. His results speak for themselves: Equitable Mediation Services maintains a 98% case resolution rate, significantly higher than the industry average of 70%.
Jeremy Axel
Host
Jeremy Axel
Host
Founder and sales manager of Fluent Conveyors, brings over 10 years of experience transforming the conveyor industry with innovative design, exceptional service, and strong dealer partnerships. Serving sectors like recycling, agriculture, and packaging, he delivers custom solutions that enhance efficiency and profitability. Known for his strategic relationship-building and customer-focused approach, Jeremy has earned top honors such as Sales Rep of the Year and President’s Club, reflecting his ongoing commitment to growth and industry leadership.
