A Better Way Forward
This month, we sat down with Carmel divorce attorney Kena Hollingsworth of Hollingsworth Law Group to talk about growth, alignment, and her deeply held belief that families can move through life’s most difficult transitions with dignity and compassion.
Q: Over the past year, your firm has grown significantly. What has this season looked like for you?
A: It’s been a season of tremendous growth. We moved into our new office, expanded our legal team, added support staff, and welcomed additional attorneys whose experience broadens the ways we can serve families. What began as a very lean operation has become something much bigger.
But what feels different isn’t just the size of the team—it’s the alignment. I’ve been in this business 25 years, and I’ve never felt better about a core group of individuals. Every person who has joined us believes in our mission. My partner, Jenna, serves as a guardian ad litem and parent coordinator, which opens up additional ways we can support children and families in high-conflict situations. With the addition of Jenna, we’ve also expanded into estate planning and related services. We’re growing, but we’re growing smarter, with intention.
Q: You’ve long said you believe family law can be handled differently. What does that mean in practice?
A: The approach begins before anything is ever filed. From the first conversation, we focus on tone, mindset and communication. Instead of “me versus you,” we try to frame it as two people working toward resolution. So often, things escalate because people react from fear. They sense something is wrong, they panic, they make knee-jerk decisions, and suddenly everyone is operating from an elevated emotional state. We work very intentionally to diffuse that from the beginning. When clients are able to set the tone early and approach their case from a place of curiosity and compassion, they maintain far more control over their lives—their time with their kids, their finances, and their future—rather than handing those decisions to a judge who only has hours to understand the entire story.
Q: You’ve integrated divorce coaching into your firm. Why was that important to you?
A: This isn’t just a legal process. It touches every part of one’s identity. Even the person who initiates the divorce still goes through waves of emotion. I became a certified relationship coach myself because I wanted better tools to help families. Our coaches help clients regulate their nervous systems, process emotional triggers, and move through the process from a calmer, more thoughtful place. Simple tools like breathing techniques, communication strategies and reframing exercises can completely change the trajectory of a case. When people feel grounded, they negotiate differently. They parent differently. They think differently. And that has a ripple effect.
Q: What would you want someone quietly considering divorce to know?
A: The moment you begin wondering if divorce might be an option is the moment to gather information. You don’t have to file. You don’t have to make a final decision. But being informed prevents reactive choices made under pressure.
And most importantly, this process does not have to be destructive.
If children are involved, you are still a family. The structure changes, but the family remains. Preserving respect and compassion matters, not just for the adults, but for what children come to believe about love and partnership. We’ve all heard horror stories. That’s what people expect. But there is another way. I believe that with my whole heart. I’ve experienced it myself. Families can move through this in a way that minimizes suffering and opens the door to something healthier on the other side.
Hollingsworth Law Group is located at 230 N. Rangeline Road in Carmel. To learn more about Kena Hollingsworth's compassionate approach to family law or to schedule a consultation, visit 317divorce.com or call 317-DIVORCE. Follow @317divorce on Instagram to stay up-to-date with Kena, her practice and the team.
A: It’s been a season of tremendous growth. We moved into our new office, expanded our legal team, added support staff, and welcomed additional attorneys whose experience broadens the ways we can serve families. What began as a very lean operation has become something much bigger.
But what feels different isn’t just the size of the team—it’s the alignment. I’ve been in this business 25 years, and I’ve never felt better about a core group of individuals. Every person who has joined us believes in our mission. My partner, Jenna, serves as a guardian ad litem and parent coordinator, which opens up additional ways we can support children and families in high-conflict situations. With the addition of Jenna, we’ve also expanded into estate planning and related services. We’re growing, but we’re growing smarter, with intention.
Q: You’ve long said you believe family law can be handled differently. What does that mean in practice?
A: The approach begins before anything is ever filed. From the first conversation, we focus on tone, mindset and communication. Instead of “me versus you,” we try to frame it as two people working toward resolution. So often, things escalate because people react from fear. They sense something is wrong, they panic, they make knee-jerk decisions, and suddenly everyone is operating from an elevated emotional state. We work very intentionally to diffuse that from the beginning. When clients are able to set the tone early and approach their case from a place of curiosity and compassion, they maintain far more control over their lives—their time with their kids, their finances, and their future—rather than handing those decisions to a judge who only has hours to understand the entire story.
Q: You’ve integrated divorce coaching into your firm. Why was that important to you?
A: This isn’t just a legal process. It touches every part of one’s identity. Even the person who initiates the divorce still goes through waves of emotion. I became a certified relationship coach myself because I wanted better tools to help families. Our coaches help clients regulate their nervous systems, process emotional triggers, and move through the process from a calmer, more thoughtful place. Simple tools like breathing techniques, communication strategies and reframing exercises can completely change the trajectory of a case. When people feel grounded, they negotiate differently. They parent differently. They think differently. And that has a ripple effect.
Q: What would you want someone quietly considering divorce to know?
A: The moment you begin wondering if divorce might be an option is the moment to gather information. You don’t have to file. You don’t have to make a final decision. But being informed prevents reactive choices made under pressure.
And most importantly, this process does not have to be destructive.
If children are involved, you are still a family. The structure changes, but the family remains. Preserving respect and compassion matters, not just for the adults, but for what children come to believe about love and partnership. We’ve all heard horror stories. That’s what people expect. But there is another way. I believe that with my whole heart. I’ve experienced it myself. Families can move through this in a way that minimizes suffering and opens the door to something healthier on the other side.
Hollingsworth Law Group is located at 230 N. Rangeline Road in Carmel. To learn more about Kena Hollingsworth's compassionate approach to family law or to schedule a consultation, visit 317divorce.com or call 317-DIVORCE. Follow @317divorce on Instagram to stay up-to-date with Kena, her practice and the team.