Meet the Divorce Professionals

Sarah Lyman

Founder of PurplCouch & Communications Specialist

When I was getting divorced from my husband, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I spent hours on Google trying to figure out what I needed to do, unsure of whom to trust, and feeling hopeless about the future. There had to be an easier way. So I started this business. I have nearly two decades in communications and design, so I started weaving together advice from these experts into something organized and accessible to help others. You can find more about my meandering career path on LinkedIn and reach me directly at [email protected]

Oh, and faves include Star Trek TNG, Queer Eye, hiking, kayaking, scuba diving, and listening to live jazz.

One of the things I discovered after my divorce is that I enjoy watercolor painting: all of the artwork on this site is mine.

Amanda Peden

Financial Planner & Certified Divorce Financial Analyst

Amanda has a passion for helping others, bringing her extensive industry experience as Financial Planner with the Commonwealth Financial Group. As an educator, Amanda finds herself teaching the community on how to take control of their financial lives. Amanda specializes in working with widows and divorcees to help them establish independence during transitional times.

As a woman with vast knowledge of what has primarily been a male-dominated industry, Amanda brings an unparalleled point of view. She takes to heart the idea that proper financial education leads to individual freedom and long-term success. Therefore, you will frequently find Amanda speaking at seminars to help spread awareness of the importance of financial literacy.

Outside of the office, you’ll find Amanda enjoying all that Vermont has to offer. You may bump into her on the trails cross-country skiing or hiking. When not outdoors, Amanda enjoys yoga or a good book in the presence of her Bengal-mix cat, Mars.

Securities and investment advisory services are offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investor Services, LLC, Member SIPC (www.sipc.com). Supervisory office: 101 Federal Street, Suite 800, Boston MA 02110 Tel: 617-439-4389.

Tabitha Moore

Couple & Family Therapist

Tabitha Moore (she/they), is the owner and principal consultant of Intentional Evolution,LLC. She has been consulting on the topics of identity based equity and racial justice for over 20 years. Her work centers on the intersections of identity and systems of care, learning how and whether said systems promote, inhibit, or prohibit healthy individual and community identity development. She has worked extensively in systems of care including organizations that serve people with disabilities and the fields of mental health, law enforcement, education, and child welfare.

Tabitha earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wells College by creating her own major, the Psychology of Latin America in the Context of Its Language and Culture; a convergence of psychology, sociology, Spanish language, women’s studies, and Latin American cultural studies/anthropology. For her research on women and identity development conducted in the Dominican Republic, she earned the honor of graduating with distinction.

Tabitha maintains her license to practice Marriage and Family Therapy; a degree earned in 2002 from Syracuse University, and is nearing completion of her doctoral degree from Saybrook University in the field of Transformative Social Change. In 2022 she was named Culture Equity Editor for the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. She has the privilege of being awarded the following honors: the Vermont Leaders and Achievers Award from VSAC in 2019, the New England Leaders and Achievers Award in 2019, the Rights and Democracy Human Rights Award in 2020, NAACP Rutland Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, and the Wells College Outstanding Young Alumnae Award in 2021.

In addition to her career and activism, Tabitha is the mother to three human children and 4 dogs. She finds peace and rejuvenation hiking with her family, exercising, eating high quality dark chocolate and testing out the nearest spas.

Keri Brown

Enrolled Agent & Tax Advisor

Keri is the founder and President of Good Steward Tax & Finance and brings nearly a decade of experience working in taxes and finance.

Keri focuses on helping clients reduce their anxiety about taxes and money, providing advice and support in a non-judgemental environment.

Paul Foxman

Psychologist

Dr. Paul Foxman is the founder and director of the Vermont Center for Anxiety Care in Burlington, Vermont. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University. He has been in private practice for 35 years, specializing in anxiety disorders in children and adults.

He is the author of several books explaining anxiety's symptoms, sources, and solutions, especially as it relates to children.

Nanci Smith

Collaborative Divorce Attorney

Nanci has been practicing law since 1992, founding her private practice in 2005 specializing in Family Law. She is a member of the Vermont Bar Association and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. She has received advanced training in and practices Collaborative Divorce and Collaborative Mediation. She is also licensed to practice law in the state of New York. She is author of the 2022 book Untangling Your Marriage:  A Guide to Collaborative Divorce.

Nanci is a regular instructor for the Vermont Bar Association and the National Business Institute on Family Law matters. She is the Past-President of the Board of Trustees for Vermont Legal Aid, Inc. and Legal Services of Vermont. She is the Chair of the Vermont Bar Association Collaborative Section and a member of the Collaborative Practice Vermont, an Interdisciplinary Practice Group. Nanci has represented children as counsel or as their court appointed Guardian Ad Litem upon request of the court. She is divorced, has a lovely daughter in college and an office Maltese, named Louie. You can find her at [email protected].