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Dr Lisa Summerour

@drlisasummerour

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Recalibration Strategist | 🌍Keynote Speaker | After the Shift | ✍️ Author

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I put a call out for actors for my table read, and what came back floored me. The diversity. The talent. The willingness. The alignment. All of it.
I don’t know how I even know some of you people. CORRECTION: I am realizing how blessed I am that I get to say I know you.
I didn’t even make it through Melanie’s bio before I was tearing up — the breadth of her talent is inspiring. I spent an hour on the phone with Chris today, and we realized just how aligned his life is with a character I dreamed up out of thin air. I’m listening to the book Big Magic right now, and I’m telling you, this felt like one of those divinely inspired situations. Yesterday I watched Jackson’s short film twice. Today he told me he’s working on his third one.
I have classmates from eighth grade, theatre friends from my days at Freedom Theatre in Philly, and a woman I shared a makeup counter with at Marshall Field’s in Milwaukee nearly 40 years ago — I had no idea she was a theater major.
You make me want to do you proud, by making this experience as wonderful for you as it already is for me. Thank you for saying yes. 🎬✨
#tableread #screenwriting #ARecipeForUs #grateful by @drlisasummerour

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17 days ago

I’m looking for a few actors for a table read.
My feature screenplay, A Recipe for Us—a multigenerational family drama set between the Bahamas in 1987 and present-day Philadelphia—is ready for its first live table read.
We’re doing it on Zoom on Sunday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET. The read should run approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.
This is a working read with about a dozen speaking roles—some large, some small, all valuable. If you act on stage or screen and want to be part of hearing a WGA-registered script come alive before it goes out to managers and producers, I’d love to have you in the room.
This is an unpaid table read.
Comment or send me a message if you’re interested. I’ll follow up with role details in a few days. Thanks in advance for the support!
#Screenwriting #TableRead #ActorsWanted Filmmaking by @drlisasummerour

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20 days ago

by @drlisasummerour

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24 days ago

When we say we create the quiet space to think and create: this is what we mean.

@drlisasummerour
@johnrsullivan1968 by @drlisasummerour

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a month ago

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱. 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗢𝗪!

One of my sisters is an avid reader. We swap books, talk about favorites, and gift each other books regularly. April read so many edits of Divorce Is Not a Destination® she's actually corrected me on a few passages. And she was right. Hey, it happens.

Then there's my sister Tami. She has made her position very clear.
So this one's for Tami — and every other woman who said, "Just let me know when it's in audio."

It's in audio.

Divorce Is Not a Destination® is now available on Amazon, Audible, Apple Books, and major platforms. And yes, I narrated it myself. Every. Single. Word.

Here's the honest story: I spent way too long investigating studios, pricing out sound engineers, and fully convincing myself this was going to require equipment I didn't own and skills I didn't have. Then I decided to stop auditioning excuses and go figure it out.
I took a course. I learned. I recorded. I made mistakes. I fixed them. I may have had a word or two with my microphone. And I am genuinely proud of what came out on the other side.

Here's what I know now: the next one will be easier, more fun, and even better.

I took an amazing course that walked me through the entire process — and made it actually doable. If you've ever thought about producing your own audiobook, DM me and I'll send you the info.

Divorce Is Not a Destination® is now available in every format:
📖 Hardcover
📚 Paperback
📱 eBook
🎧 Audiobook — finally.

Divorce is one of the most destabilizing transitions a woman can face. This book — and now this audiobook — was built to help you move through it strategically, not just survive it. That's still the mission. The format just got an upgrade.

If you've been waiting — your wait is over. Grab it here: https://order.divorceisnotadestination.com/Amazon

And if you know a Tami — send this her way. 😄 Oh, No . . don't...
𝘐'𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦! by @drlisasummerour

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5 months ago

For three years, I kept myself in a box I built.
𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲. 𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.

I helped women rebuild after divorce — and I was good at it. But every time someone came to me navigating a career collapse, a leadership crisis, an empty nest — I was so busy trying to separate myself from my previous career that I'd say things like "that's not really my lane anymore" and shrink right back into the divorce lane.

Meanwhile, the A.A.C.T.™ framework I built was working on all of it.

It took people literally pulling me aside at an event, telling me that narrowing my work to divorce only was keeping them from hiring me — even though they already knew I was the right fit.

Let that land.
I failed to trust what I had built. I let the label "divorce coach" do more work than the methodology deserved. And it cost me clients, speaking engagements, contracts, and honestly — my own clarity.

The failure wasn't in the work.
It was in the altitude.
I was operating at the floor of my own framework.
That's over now. by @drlisasummerour

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5 months ago

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆.

An email landed in my inbox yesterday letting me know I’ve been selected for From Script to Pitch—a screenwriting retreat in Calabria, Italy.

This one feels different because it’s not about being discovered.
It’s about being prepared.

Prepared because I stayed in the work.
Prepared because I didn’t rush the process.
Prepared because quiet progress still counts.

I’ll be spending a week in Italy this May doing focused work on my screenplay alongside mentors and fellow writers.

I'm grateful, grounded and moving forward. by @drlisasummerour

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7 months ago

Handmade. Heirloom. Art. Each baby quilt features African wax fabrics, Ankara, one of a kind — designs for the crib, worthy of the wall. by @drlisasummerour

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7 months ago

𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 $𝟭,𝟱𝟬𝟬+ 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻.

I teach women not to abandon what's working after divorce.
Then I did exactly that in my business.

Instead of promoting what had already worked, I got excited at a conference, came home, and chased the "shiny new thing."

I went all in. Shot videos. Wrote ad copy. Ran ads. Tweaked them.
Great engagement and buzz. Zero conversions or business.

So I kept going.
Different hooks. Different audiences.
More ad spend. More time I'll never get back.

How 'bout I already had something that had worked?

My masterclass — 4 Essential Steps to Creating Joy After a Difficult Divorce.

The thing I created over a year ago.
The thing that had already sold.
The thing I STOPPED PROMOTING because I thought I needed something more impressive.
The thing that made someone stop going to an expensive therapist because she got more from my 60-minute masterclass.

I abandoned what was working to build something “better.”

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲.

This is exactly what my clients do after divorce.

They think they need a whole new version of themselves, so they keep searching for the "next thing" instead of working with what they already have.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱.

You're not broken.
You're not “too much.”
You might just be doing too darn much.

Trying to fix what isn’t broken.
Overcomplicating what could be simple.
Chasing transformation when what you need is clarity about who you already are.

Stop thinking you need a whole new you.

And even if you decide reinvention makes sense?
It’ll be after you take inventory of what’s already working.

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

That’s what I’m doing in my business.
And that’s what I help women do after divorce.

Look, I’m not beating myself up.
I’m looking at this like experimenting.
That’s how I learn and grow… RIGHT?!

Still, I’d be lying if I didn’t say:
WTH were you thinking with this?

Ever gotten swept up in conference energy and blown up your strategy?
Drop a comment.

#DivorceRecovery #lessonlearned by @drlisasummerour

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10 months ago

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 — 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁?
Turns out, for a surprising number of people, that's exactly what happens.

"The struggle was trying to save the marriage. There was no struggle in divorce."
— a woman told me last week
And I felt that.

Because the moment some people stop trying to hold together what's already falling apart, they rediscover parts of themselves they didn't even know were missing.

That's when they start showing up — and showing out — at work.
It may be what fueled me to start picking out paint colors — before my ex, in his U-Haul, drove to Main Street three blocks away.
That's how my mother tells the story anyway.
It might not have been that quick.

However, I do remember leaving my last therapy session and driving directly to Home Depot for supplies.

The therapy session was for closure.
Home Depot was me literally designing my future—my home office.

Converting the studio I'd designed and damn near built for him was now going to be my fabulous new workspace.

I knew I could paint walls and cry tears at the same time…
So let the productivity BEGIN.

And here's what's fascinating:
The University of Minnesota's Life Events and Work Study found that nearly 39% of participants said their careers actually improved after divorce.

For some, the workplace becomes a sanctuary — a space to rebuild identity, confidence, and purpose.

When the chaos at home ends, clarity at work begins.
Divorce doesn't always derail performance.
Sometimes, it redefines it.
Because once the fight ends, the focus begins.

#DivorceRecovery #LifeAfterDivorce #PostTraumaticGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #NewBeginnings by @drlisasummerour

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10 months ago

𝗠𝘀. 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼, 𝗙á𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝘀𝗰𝗵, 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 "𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸." 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁?

A few weeks ago, the director for Miss Universe in Thailand called her a "dumbhead" and demanded she stop talking.

Poetic justice? Maybe. Or maybe standing up for yourself creates a rallying moment that people don't forget.

Either way, Ms. Mexico and I have something in common: we both clap back when someone throws a verbal grenade™ at us.

A few days ago, I gave you verbal grenades™ The words people toss into conversations to disrupt, silence, and do damage. "Dumbhead." "Quiet piggy." They qualify.

I was in a team meeting once, making my data-driven point. But data will never override the thought process of someone who "doesn't want to hear it." So what I got, in front of everyone on the Zoom, was: "asinine" and "stupid."

I looked at the culprit and my co-dependent, frozen faced, closed mouthed colleagues on the screen and said, "Oh really? So we're going to insult each other now in the company meeting? Is that what we're doing?"

The response? "I wasn't attacking you, just your comment." Yep, they backpedaled right into a wall.

Here's the thing: I had already drawn the line a year before. I told everyone: Say something rude and ridiculous to me moving forward, and whoever it is will "Get Got" here in real time. I'm not doing this anymore.

Because sometimes when you're the one willing to speak up, you become the target. If they can "tame" you, everyone else stays in their place. Even though I'd get calls afterwards: "Are you alright?" "Thank you for speaking up." Seriously!?

So me? If someone tosses a verbal grenade™ at me? Yeah, I'm responding.
With either: "Would you repeat that?" Because there's something satisfying about watching someone backpedal when they have to say their ridiculous comment out loud a second time.

Or: "Are you trying to be insulting?"

Or a nice clap back to "Don't take it personally" like: "Yeah, I'm taking it personally because I'm not a frog and you made it personal." That lets them know I'm clocking you and I got time today. Sometimes that's the only way to address it.

Ms. Mexico got on the mic and went by @drlisasummerour

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10 months ago

𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀.
Four full work weeks lost per employee after divorce.

And nearly 70% of employees affected by relationship stress at any given time.

So why do most workplaces still treat divorce as a "personal matter"?

The traditional approach sounds like this:
"Keep your personal life separate from work."
"Handle it outside business hours."
"We have an EAP if you need it."
(Which 92% of employees won't use.)
The evolved approach recognizes that major life transitions directly affect performance — and plans for it.

It looks like this:
✨ Confidential, targeted coaching to stabilize performance during life transitions
✨ Flexible policies that address temporary disruptions without lowering standards
✨ Clear frameworks for navigating logistics and leadership expectations
✨ Structured support built into wellness programs — not whispered about in HR

When companies do this well, they see:
→ Faster return to baseline productivity
→ Lower turnover and stronger retention
→ A reputation as a workplace that genuinely supports people
→ Less burnout for managers and teammates
→ Better performance metrics

Some forward-thinking UK companies (Asda, Tesco, Unilever, PwC) already treat divorce support like bereavement leave — a legitimate, strategic form of care that protects both people and profits.

We've normalized support for:
Parental leave
Bereavement
Mental health
Medical recovery
So why not divorce — a transition that affects most employees and the bottom line?
The business case is clear.
The human case is even clearer.

What could change in your workplace if you started leading from that truth?

#WorkplaceWellness #HRInnovation #EmployeeSupport #FutureOfWork #Leadership by @drlisasummerour

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10 months ago