Becoming Your Own Wonder Woman: The Courageous Work of Divorce Coach Naomi Cao

When life splits, many people shatter. Naomi Cao chose something different: to find strength in the pieces, and then help others do the same.

Naomi is a divorce coach and strategist specialising in guiding individuals through separation with clarity, compassion, and practical momentum. Her coaching isn’t theoretical. It’s forged from lived experience—a 17-year marriage that ended, a family to protect, and a new identity to claim. Today, she pairs that empathy with hard-won strategy to help clients move from crisis to confident co-parenting and future planning.

The moment everything changed

The turning point came in 2018 at her daughter’s sixth birthday party. Money was tight, so Naomi bought two Wonder Woman costumes online—one for her daughter, one for herself. Later that night she saw a photo of them, hands on hips in that iconic power pose. In her daughter’s face she saw fierceness. In herself, she saw a choice.

“I want to be my children’s Wonder Woman.”

That single decision became a mission: to show her children what resilience looks like in real time—and to build a practice that helps other families find stability, safety, and dignity after separation.

From “divorce coaching” to “divorce management”

Naomi’s clients don’t just need pep talks; they need a navigator. She describes her role as “divorce management,” much like a project manager in a renovation—coordinating the right experts at the right time while keeping outcomes clear and child-centred.

• Strategic co-parenting plans: Naomi helps parents design realistic, age-appropriate schedules that consider safety, routines, and the child’s developmental needs.
• Referral network you can trust: When trauma, addiction, or deep grief are present, she connects clients with counsellors and psychotherapists, then continues guiding the practical steps.
• Communication coaching: She helps clients “de-trigger” the inbox, reframe conflict, and shift from reactive messages to constructive, boundary-led communication.

Her approach is pragmatic, human, and laser-focused on forward motion: what can we do now to create stability and reduce conflict?

A story that shows what’s possible

One of Naomi’s most moving cases involved a couple with a very young child. The father was in rehab and terrified he’d lose contact with his son. The mother was afraid for the child’s safety during longer visits. Instead of escalating the fight, Naomi facilitated honest conversations, acknowledged the father’s courage in seeking help, and designed a plan both could trust.

They agreed on short, structured caregiving windows—one to two hours—aligned with daycare pickup, bath time, story time, and a handover before dinner together. It was simple, safe, and sustainable. It also restored hope. That night, the father texted: “After so many weeks of rain, I feel a ray of sunshine.”

This is Naomi’s signature: not grand gestures, but practical steps that rebuild trust and protect children.

Built on grit, curiosity, and values

Naomi’s steadiness comes from a lifetime of solving problems creatively. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, she grew up with limited means and a strong work ethic. As a child, she famously asked her seamstress mum to stitch a detachable turtleneck onto a summer school shirt so she could “hack” a winter uniform the family couldn’t afford. Resourcefulness became a habit—and later, a superpower.

She studied pharmacy, became qualified at 21, and learned how to communicate clearly, advocate for people under stress, and follow processes that keep humans safe. Those disciplines now underpin her divorce work: triage what matters, prioritise wellbeing, and implement stepwise plans that actually stick.

Community, connection, and mental wellbeing

Naomi doesn’t just talk about mental health—she builds the structures that support it. She exercises three times a week, strength trains, and walks daily with her three dogs. She meal-preps, savours cooking for her family, and grounds herself in nature.

She also founded Sydney Friends, a 1,700-member social group for mums and dads who feel displaced after separation. It’s a simple idea—post a time and place, meet for a casual drink or dinner—and a powerful antidote to loneliness. For many, it’s the first step back into connection.

Her favourite micro-ritual? Saying “Good morning” to every person she passes on her walk. It’s free, it’s kind, and it changes the day—for both people.

What Naomi believes

• Kids copy what we do, not what we say. Model the behaviour you want them to learn.
• Small steps compound. Two stable hours can become a safe weekend—when the groundwork is right.
• Ask the “dumb” questions. Curiosity opens doors that pride keeps shut.
• Trust the timing of people. The right humans arrive when you’re ready for the next chapter.

Who Naomi is for

• Parents needing a calm, strategic partner to navigate separation.
• Individuals ready to shift from conflict to co-parenting with a child-first plan.
• Anyone who wants to feel seen, heard, and supported while getting practical results.

If your world has split, you don’t have to hold the pieces alone. With Naomi’s guidance, you can redesign the path forward—one thoughtful step at a time.