WHAT WE DO
Divorce is a scary ride, but with the right support, it can land you in a great new place. UNtied can be a big part of that support.
Through expert discussions, as well as online forums, we connect you with other women going through the process and introduce you to professionals at the top of their fields who can provide you with crucial advice and information.
We cover topics ranging from getting back to work, to hiring the right attorney, to sex in midlife to paying for college as a re-singled parent. We also host workshops that will help you cope with grief, ready you for online dating and help you re-shape your future.
And we will also be there for you on the other side of your split, on issues like dating, step parenting and even retirement.
MEET THE WOMEN BEHIND UNTIED
Melinda B. Gould, Principal
Melinda is a trusted divorce consultant who guides individuals through the emotional, logistical, and financial complexities of divorce—so they can emerge steady, informed, and ready for what comes next. In 2012, Melinda witnessed the final implosion of her marriage and found herself with two young children, navigating a contentious divorce with no roadmap. In the midst of that upheaval, her parents died within fourteen months of one another. Nothing had prepared her for the magnitude of loss, uncertainty, and isolation that followed. What ultimately carried Melinda through—and allowed her not just to survive but to thrive—was community. She discovered that compassionate connection and shared wisdom can trigger clarity, accelerate healing, and rebuild confidence.
Today, Melinda brings both lived experience and professional rigor to her leadership of UNtied and her individual work with clients. She helps women navigate divorce by addressing the whole picture—emotional wellbeing, practical logistics, financial understanding, and communication.
Her background as an investment banker and entrepreneur means that she is fluent with balance sheets and appraisals. Her personal story, through marriage, motherhood, divorce and beyond, has made her comfortable in the world of therapy and nuanced family dynamics. In her role as divorce guide and client advocate, Melinda has developed strong relationships with several of the city’s leading divorce attorneys. Her familiarity with the growing circle of divorce professionals in the wider New York area is a cornerstone resource for Untied members and the UNtied community at large. Contact her at melinda@untied.net.
Elise Pettus, Founder
When Elise Pettus first entered the separation process in 2010, she felt desperate to reach out to other women who’d been through it. She wanted to know if they were glad they had done it, how their kids survived, and whether they had any regrets. She wished she’d had some help finding the right lawyer, the right financial advisor and the right person to help her talk to her kids about the whole thing. Though the web offered personal blogs as well as some general divorce advice, there was no site that could introduce her to the best local resources or connect her to other women on the same road.
A graduate of Columbia Journalism School, she worked in documentary film and later as a reporter/writer for magazines like New York and Gourmet, before launching UNtied in 2013. A student of all things divorce-related, her passion is to connect divorcing women to each other as well as to the most experienced and competent professionals in all fields related to their needs. Contact her at elise@untied.net.
Thank you for creating a safe space for women in the different stages of divorce to share, support, and learn from each other. For many of us, there is no community to turn to for support. Of course, our friends and loved ones reach out to comfort us, but connecting with others going through similar experiences is invaluable.
I got my lawyer through UNtied! I was totally clueless about collaborative divorce before going to one of your panels. UNtied saved me a lot of time, pain and money. Eternally grateful!
At a moment when I was in complete shock, stunned and had absolutely no idea how to proceed, it was enormously comforting and helpful to have a group of brilliant women to turn to, each of whom had suggestions, and stories. Knowing you are not alone is big!