About Kara Ockendon
Amicable Separation & Divorce Specialist | Collaborative Separation Facilitator and Educator | Former Family Lawyer | Separation & Divorce Coach

Kara Ockendon is an Australian-based amicable separation and divorce specialist, collaborative separation facilitator, educator and coach, and former family lawyer with a passion for helping individuals, couples and families navigate separation and divorce with compassion, clarity and care.

Drawing on 15 years of legal practice, including a decade practising as a family and divorce lawyer, and a background in both law and psychological science, of legal understanding, human behaviour under the stress of separation and the practical realities of separation and divorce.

She specialises in holistic, trauma-informed separation and divorce support, with a particular focus on helping families separate amicably where possible, while reducing conflict and avoiding unnecessary escalation where it is not.

Her work supports clients with the practical and relational challenges that commonly arise during separation, including communication and conflict resolution, parenting and co-parenting after separation, financial and property matters, understanding the Australian family law process, emotional wellbeing and navigating the transition through to the the post-separation landscape and beyond.

At the heart of Kara's approach is a desire to protect the future wellbeing of the whole separating family — helping clients make informed decisions, minimise the emotional and financial toll of divorce and separation, protect children from unnecessary conflict, and create sustainable outcomes for life after separation.

In addition to her coaching and facilitation work, Kara is committed to ongoing education and professional development, including ongoing training in collaborative and conscious dispute resolution family law processes — forward-thinking and solutions-focused approaches to resolving separation and family law disputes respectfully, wherever possible without the need for litigation.

She believes deeply in the power of collaboration, conscious communication, education and practical support to help families move towards a lower-conflict and more amicable separation or divorce.

Kara’s formal qualifications and experience include:

• Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Griffith University (2007)

• Bachelor of Psychological Science, Griffith University (2007)

• 15 years in legal practice, including 10+ years in family law

• Certified Collaborative Separation Facilitator

• Certified Conscious Uncoupling™ Coach

• Ongoing training in trauma, the science of break-ups, conflict & communication, and collaborative dispute resolution

On a personal level, Kara brings lived experience and deep empathy to her work. As someone who experienced the impact of high-conflict divorce in childhood, navigated her own relationship breakdowns, and undergone a significant health crisis, including diagnosis and surgery for a rare brain condition, she understands firsthand the emotional toll of uncertainty and change.

These experiences have shaped her unwavering commitment to personal growth, resilience and conscious transformation and reinforced her belief that, with the right support, some of life's most challenging transitions can become powerful catalysts for healing and growth.

Kara's greatest inspiration is her son, whose name means “bringer of joy.” He is the heart of her why and a daily reminder of what truly matters: connection, presence and legacy.

Whether you are considering separation and wondering where to start, hoping to achieve an amicable divorce or separation, navigating co-parenting or ongoing conflict with an ex-partner, or a professional seeking holistic support for your clients, Kara offers a grounded, emotionally intelligent and legally informed approach to help you move forward with greater confidence, calm and clarity.

If you're ready to approach separation in a different way - one that values healing over hostility, collaboration over conflict and long-term wellbeing over short-term wins - then you are in the right place.