If you're seeking divorce advice in Pasadena, a gathering of like-minded individuals going through the same thing would surely be helpful. Divorce can be very isolating, so surrounding yourself with people who've been through the same thing can be incredibly healing. This was the thought behind last weekend's divorce expo in New York City. The event, the first of its kind in the United States, promised to "empower" attendees.
The "Start Over Smart" expo is the brainchild of mother-daughter duo Francine Baras and Nicole Baras Feuer.
"Divorce is still in the closet," Baras told the TODAY show in an interview last week. "We think we talk about it, but when you're facing it yourself, you are facing it alone."
The pair was inspired to bring the idea of the divorce expo to the U.S. after attending one in Paris. Cities in Europe and around the globe have been holding divorce expos for years.
"[We] fell in love with the idea," Baras said.
They hope the event's success in New York City will allow them to bring it to cities around the country. Baras and her daughter call upon both their real-life as well as professional experiences to the expo. Baras is a married family therapist while daughter Feuer is recently divorced, a single mom and a divorce mediator.
The two-day event featured workshops, classes and sessions with divorce industry professionals. The keynote speaker was New York Times best-selling author Cheryl Richardson. Celebrity hairstylist and makeover guru Sally Hershberger was another speaker and even hosted an on-site salon for divorcees in search of a newly-single look. Other special events included workshops for gay and lesbian divorcees, seminars for divorced dads and financial workshops. Feuer calls the event "empowering and uplifting" and hopes that the expo will help take divorce out of the closet. The New York Daily News reports that several hundred attended over the weekend.