Divorce coach Victoria is giving people the strength to move forward

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine we meet Victoria Dunn, founder of divorce coaching specialist Victoria Dunn Coaching.

Earlier this year, at the investment promotion agency’s Annual Business Event, the business, which helps people facing relationship breakdowns, particularly those affected by domestic abuse, was announced as the winner of the Rising Star competition, which aims to give a helping hand to upcoming business ventures.

As Innovate discovers, the foundations of the business, which began in 2024, are very much rooted in Victoria’s own personal experience.

Having gone through a “tricky” divorce herself a few years earlier, she became acutely aware of the lack of targeted support available to those navigating such a stressful and overwhelming period.

This inspired her to seek accreditation as a divorce coach. However, as she began her practice, it quickly became apparent that a significant proportion of her clients were experiencing abusive relationships, often without realising it.

She told Innovate: “The people I work with often feel they are at the bottom of a big hole. I like to think I’m there holding a ladder they can use to climb out.

“What I want them to realise is that if you are in a situation that you don’t want to be in, you can get support, and you can get out of it.

“I was married for 20 years, and I had a tricky time separating. It was tough, lonely and emotionally draining, and I wish I had had the specialist support I now see I needed.”

In addition to supporting people through the complexities of a relationship breakdown, Victoria also partners with businesses to raise awareness of domestic abuse in the workplace – ensuring employers are equipped with the knowledge and resources to safeguard their staff.

She argues that work can often be a person’s ‘safe place’ – but it can also be somewhere the abuse follows them through messages, threats and intimidation.

She believes the effects can ripple through a business in ways many employers don’t recognise.

She told Innovate: “Absenteeism, presenteeism – the employee is there but they’re just not – they can’t concentrate, team morale is impacted, productivity drops.”

According to Victoria, the response from employers has been encouraging. She believes the opportunity is significant – for both the individual and the businesses, who will benefit from reduced sickness and happier, more productive employees.

She told Innovate: “If enough people rise to the challenge of safeguarding and looking after their staff then, together, we could make an enormous difference to people’s lives.”

To read the feature in full click here Resources – Marketing Derby .