Divorce Coach Feature: Dana Ducat, BSN, RN
Dana Ducat BSN, RN
Certified High Conflict Divorce & Custody Coach
“Every sunrise signals a fresh start, a revival.”
Beginning this February, we’ll feature two graduates of the High Conflict Divorce Coach Certification Program (HCDCCP) every month. Prospective coaches and clients can take an inside look at the lives of high-conflict divorce coaches (HCDCs), many of whom overcame the obstacles their clients now face.
Our first featured graduate is Dana Ducat (BSN, RN), a certified HCDC at Revival Collaborative. We asked her a series of questions, ranging from lighthearted to reflective, and developed a deeper understanding of her approach to coaching, advocacy, and faith.
Uncovering Her Path to Divorce Coaching
Before completing the HCDCCP, Dana worked as a registered nurse. Like many HCDCs, Dana has personal experience with high-conflict divorce. After years of nursing and enduring her own custody battle, “God placed the certification program in my path in a way I couldn’t ignore,” said Dana.
While pivoting to a new career was uncomfortable, Dana felt “zero regrets” about her decision. “Everything about this work challenges me,” she reflected. “It allows me to fill up the deepest corners of my soul by helping others.”
After graduating from the HCDCCP, Dana started the Revival Collaborative, where she helps clients navigate high-conflict divorce and custody disputes. As a licensed Registered Nurse, she has a special interest in guiding parents through healthcare systems, especially when their children have suspected or confirmed medical conditions.
Dana has two children of her own, who she described as the most influential people in her life. “Watching them inspires me to become the best version of myself,” she said. “They give me the opportunity to see an honest reflection of myself, in both positive and negative ways.” This self-awareness defines Dana’s parenting – as well as her attitude toward change: “Because of my children, I am always growing, healing, and evolving. I want to show that change isn’t a bad thing, especially if it’s what God has called you to do.”
A Career Defined by Highs and Lows
As a coach and advocate, Dana feels compelled to speak for those whose voices are silenced or restricted; but of course, this isn’t always the easy path. While Dana acknowledged the many joys of divorce coaching, she’s deeply familiar with the frustrating peculiarities – and, at times, outright injustices – of the family court system. As she works alongside clients, Dana often sees her past self in their struggles.
In many ways, this pre-HCDC Dana serves as a present guide. “When I offer support, guidance, and knowledge to clients, I consider my former self and what I needed to hear,” Dana said. In the court system, many clients are lectured on what they “should” be doing, with minimal regard for their emotions and fears. As a person guided by faith as well as personal experience, Dana focuses on what clients need in the moment, both practically and emotionally.
While Dana’s approach to coaching isn’t easy, it’s also deeply meaningful. Some of the greatest moments follow successful court hearings, when her clients feel prepared and empowered to share their stories. When clients feel seen and heard by court officials, Dana said, their stories inspire court orders that protect innocent children and parents.
A Love for Learning: Continued Education After the HCDCCP
In addition to her own experiences, Dana gleans knowledge from the latest developments in the U.S. family court system. On a near-daily basis, Dana reviews current family court cases across the country, and she’s also a member of the American Bar Association, which keeps her current on new case law and government laws affecting the family court system.
Undoubtedly, Dana embodies a spirit of lifelong learning and excellence. While she has an innate love for research and advocacy, she also attributed her growth mindset to the HCDCCP. During the program, coaches develop “the perspective that they’re always work-in-progress,” Dana noted. In addition to networking with fellow HCDCs, Dana now participates in HCDCCP master classes, available to graduates looking to further their expertise. Like most worthy pursuits, career growth takes time and effort – but in Dana’s case, her love for coaching outshines the emotional and legal trials of working in this industry.
Boundaries Are Essential – Even When You Love Your Job
While Dana expresses deep gratitude for finding renewed purpose in a new career, she sets clear boundaries between her work and personal obligations, to the benefit of both her health and family life. “I’m a big promoter of listening to your body, and I make an effort on a daily basis to pursue activities that honor what my body needs most.”
To honor her mind and body, Dana uses a combination of yoga, moving meditation, breathing exercises, deep stretching, and journaling. Other days, she might simply admire the sand and shells around her home, which she collects from her favorite beaches. “Just looking at them,” she said, “takes me back to moments when my soul felt the most peaceful and grateful.”
As a divorce coach, Dana helps clients “refill” their cups with empowerment strategies and techniques for self-care; but when she’s not coaching, replenishing her own cup is just as essential. After a tough day, Dana often listens to music to process the hard feelings, or upbeat tunes that get her dancing and singing. Many evenings, you’ll find Dana singing in the kitchen, where she crafts unique meals with creative ingredients – and plenty of love for the people she feeds.
As she considers the future of her career, divorce coach Dana looks forward to a time when divorce coaching becomes more widely available and accessible to people of all backgrounds. “I’d like to see more attorneys refer their clients to divorce coaches, especially for the emotional or communication-related aspects of divorce and custody battles,” she said.
While attorneys aren’t trained or expected to assist with these dimensions of clients’ experiences, Dana and other HCDCs have the training, dedication, and compassion to coach clients through these moments. “It truly takes a village to get clients through these battles with minimal scars,” said Dana. But with the promise of a fresh start, her clients gain the tools to enter and win the battle.
For more information about Dana and her coaching, visit her website. In the meantime, stay tuned for our next featured HCDC! We’re excited to share the incredible stories and advocacy work of our graduates.
