About Dee Hardy

Founder | Shifting Tides Counselling & Mediation
Creator of The Divorce Architect Framework™

Seeing the whole picture

Most people do not begin separation expecting to enter a complex system. Yet very quickly, they find themselves navigating multiple professionals, conflicting advice, emotional overwhelm, and decisions that carry long-term consequences for their family, finances, and children.

It is rarely a single issue. It is an intersection of many.
Legal considerations.
Emotional realities.
Financial implications.
Parenting arrangements.
Communication breakdowns.
Future stability.
What many families discover is that while each professional may provide valuable expertise, very few people hold the whole picture.

That is where my work sits.
Dee Hardy
Dee and Tilly

“When separation is approached without structure, even thoughtful people can find themselves making decisions in reaction to pressure rather than with clarity.”

A Different Path Through Separation

Separation doesn’t have to feel like everything is falling apart.

When people first step into this space, it often feels overwhelming uncertain, emotionally charged, and quietly terrifying at the thought of courtrooms, conflict, and losing control of what matters most.

The Divorce Architect Framework™ was created to change that experience.

It brings structure to what feels unstructured.
Clarity to what feels confusing.
And calm to what can otherwise become chaos.

Rather than being pulled into a system that escalates conflict, this framework gently guides you through your separation with intention, strategy, and care, protecting your energy, your children, and your future.

It is not about “winning” or “losing.” It is about preserving what matters, while thoughtfully redesigning what comes next.

Through a project-managed, therapeutically informed approach, you are supported to make clear, grounded decisions, step by step, so that your life continues to move forward with continuity, not disruption.

This is where separation becomes something you move through, not something that defines you. The investment you make here is not just financial; it is an investment in reducing unnecessary conflict, avoiding prolonged legal battles, and creating a more stable, considered path forward for yourself and your family.

Because when the process is held well, the outcome doesn’t have to come at such a cost.

The Intersection of Experience

What distinguishes my work is the intersection of disciplines that have shaped it.

Before training in counselling and mediation, I spent decades working in business, project management, and complex negotiations through my earlier company, Dee by Design.

This work involved high-value property environments, stakeholder management, development approvals, design projects, and commercial negotiations across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, as well as international projects in Singapore.

These environments demanded clarity, structure, diplomacy, and the ability to navigate competing interests under pressure.

What they taught me is simple. Without structure and coordination, even capable people can find themselves overwhelmed by complexity.

Separation often mirrors these conditions. It is not simply emotional, nor is it purely legal. It sits at the intersection of human experience, decision-making, logistics, and future planning. My work sits precisely at that intersection.

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

Whether in boardrooms, courtrooms, or family rooms - I am the strategist you call when the issues are layered, the pressure is high, and resolution matters.
The Divorce Architect Framework TM
Beach Divorce

“Separation is rarely just a legal event or an emotional experience. It is a complex transition that touches every part of a person’s life.”

The Divorce Architect Framework™

The Divorce Architect Framework™ was developed to address a gap that many families encounter during separation.

Support often exists in separate professional silos:
Legal advice.
Therapeutic support.
Mediation processes.
Parenting programs.
Financial guidance.
Each serves an important role.

However, families frequently experience these supports in isolation rather than as part of a coordinated pathway.
The Divorce Architect Framework™ was designed as a structured process to help people move through separation with greater clarity, steadiness, and informed decision-making.

Its focus is to:
Create structure where there is confusion.
Slow down reactive decision-making.
Support emotionally informed choices.
Prioritise children’s wellbeing.
Reduce unnecessary escalation where possible.
Coordinate professional expertise when required.
It is important to recognise that separation journeys differ greatly. In some situations, legal processes may still become necessary. 

The framework does not promise a particular outcome. Rather, it aims to provide a thoughtful, coordinated pathway that supports better decisions and healthier transitions wherever possible.
Read more about our fee structure and find out how The Divorce Architect Framework™ can help you.
Read More

What Clients Often Say

Many clients arrive feeling overwhelmed by competing advice and rising conflict. One of the most common reflections I hear after our early conversations is simply:

“Finally, someone who sees the whole picture.”

That sense of containment often changes the tone of the process. When people feel steadier, they make better decisions. And better decisions shape better outcomes for families.

“Clarity does not remove the difficulty of separation. But it changes how people move through it.”

Mother and child reunited

Professional Practice

My work integrates several professional disciplines, including:
Counselling.
Family dispute resolution.
Mediation and conflict resolution.
Child-inclusive practice.
High-conflict family dynamics.
Reunification work with parents and children.
Alongside my private practice, I serve as an Independent Non-Executive Director across four boards, including as Chair of the Australian Counselling Association, contributing to governance and strategic oversight.

These roles reinforce a central principle in my work:
Good outcomes require thoughtful process, ethical practice, and professional accountability.

The Philosophy Behind Shifting Tides

The name Shifting Tides reflects a simple truth about life and relationships.
Circumstances change.
People change.
Families change.
While these transitions can feel destabilising, they also create opportunities for reflection, restructuring, and new beginnings.

My role is not to dictate outcomes or take sides.

It is to help people navigate complexity with greater clarity, steadiness, and understanding - particularly during one of life’s most challenging transitions.

“When people understand the landscape they are navigating, even difficult journeys become more manageable.”

It's not about what you need to do.
It's about who you want to be.

All Content Copyright © 2026 Shifting Tides Counselling & Mediation. Website Design Gold Coast by Shared Marketing
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram