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How to Cope with Divorce Interview
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How to Cope With Divorce – TDM Expert Interviews

Danielle Barbereau
Danielle Barbereau
Divorce Coach
Danielle Barbereau – Professional Divorce Coach

Introducing our latest transcript blog featuring an enlightening interview with Danielle Barbereau, a distinguished Divorce Coach. In this insightful conversation, Danielle shares invaluable wisdom on navigating the emotional journey of divorce and finding the resilience to cope with divorce.

Join us as we delve into practical strategies for coping with divorce and embracing personal growth amidst life’s challenges. Get ready to be inspired and empowered as we explore the transformative power of resilience and self-care in the face of adversity.

Read on for the full transcript of our video, “How to Cope with Divorce.”

[Music]

Hello everybody, um, today I’m so pleased to have Danielle with me on The Divorce Magazine, which is part of our events that we’re holding at the moment which is all about navigating divorce.

And today um, Danielle who’s been a contributor to The Divorce Magazine before, is here to talk to us, about the process of divorce but from a different angle not the financial side and not from the legal side. I’ll tell you what she’s going to speak about today.

So before that I’ll tell you a little bit about Danielle. She’s a highly qualified, I’m going to read it here on the screen, she’s a highly qualified Relationship Coach, and the UK’s first specialist in Divorce Coaching. She’s a published, published author of “After the Split”, a book that I highly recommend, and Edition One and Edition Two. And she’s currently writing her first novel, well done Danielle, thank you, diminished woman and another one that she’s co-authoring um, at the moment with Alex Swallow which is going to be of immense help, to other coaches who are building up their practice.

So they’re in the process of writing that, you’re working on your title, you’re almost finished, and I think a lot of people will need and they do need help just building up their own private practices, so I think that will be really, really welcome, to a lot of people. Probably not only divorce coaches by the way, even psychologists when they’re set, setting up their own private practices. What do we need to know ,yeah, yeah.

Because the problem is if you are not successful in this, you may be tempted to give up. And that be a crying shame. Completely. And um, Danielle has worked in the field of divorce since 2010, and has worked with over 1,400 clients. She’s um she’s, she’s a fully qualified coach with a Masters in Sociology and a Masters in Coaching.

On The Divorce Magazine if you want to read any of the articles that Danielle has written for us, you can go on there. We have “Impact of Breakup and How to Survive It”, and there’s “Why do People Have Affairs?” and the other one that we have is “Coping With Divorce When Your Spouse Leaves you.” So really, really you know, it’s those timeless articles because divorce keeps happening and those topics are still relevant today.

I’m Soila, I’m a, Counselling Psychologist and the Founder of The Divorce Magazine. Um, so today Danielle I came across your blog, um, which was entitled um, “Steadying Yourself When you Wobble During Divorce and, and Separation” and I thought, perfect for navigating divorce um, events at the moment that we’re holding on The Divorce Magazine.

How do we steady ourselves when we start wobbling during the divorce process?

And so yeah, please, tell us how do we steady ourselves when we start wobbling during the divorce process? Thank you very much Soila, I think the first thing to say is that it is completely normal to wobble. In fact, it would be abnormal not to. Of course it is, because we are going through something so enormous – a loss of identity, a loss of everything we knew before.

Probably we’ve been betrayed as well in the process for example, if somebody has left you without telling much truth actually for another person. So it’s extremely uh, difficult and completely normal to, make a little bit of progress and then a, dip again, completely, completely normal.

I was looking at a client I’ve had since the new year, and I was uh, wondering why have they stayed for a long time in their marriage actually because, you can also wobble, about deciding or not to leave the relationship and sometimes, when you are in a marriage uh, the other partner may be quite adept, as at doing quite enough, just to keep you there. And then obviously falls back into bad habits.

So I looked at clients and I thought well, what do they have in common and I’ve made a couple of notes which is why I’m looking down here.

The first one is that, they are all over the place. That’s a, a very technical place for tell but actually that’s what it is, they don’t know what to think. They are low, confused, unhappy, uncertain, and in these sit, situations it’s very difficult, to take a you know, to keep going in something when we are not too sure.

They may also believe what, their partners has said. For example that it’s their fault, if a relation, “look what you made me do” is a sentence we all know. So they scared of ending the marriage especially, if they’ve tried very, very hard to keep it going and invested so much of themselves in that.

And of course everybody hope that things would get better, and even when a decision is made, they still deep down hope that our partner is going to realise what an error they are committing and they are going to come back. And also, a lot of people have a great deal to lose, by ending a relationship. By um, financially of course, but also socially uh, and you know some people operate in circles where frankly they’re going to be dropped very quickly, at the end of a relationship.

So it’s normal, normal first of all to take a long time to make the decision, and secondly, even when the decision is made, to wobble, for all these reasons. Yeah, I really like that. That, that part where you’re saying “it’s normal to wobble”, “it’s normal to wobble” and just before we started um, recording, there’s a quote that you read and um, do you remember.

I like that quote, that I found somebody online called, Dr Julia Samuel and in fact I will refer to her once more before the end but she said, “grief” and we’re looking at grief here loss, “is an emotional response to an event.” So something unthinkable, unexpected happens, and we have an emotional response. Well that’s normal isn’t it. But somehow, we’re very harsh on ourselves, thinking why can’t I resolve this. Well there’s plenty of reason why we can’t resolve this. So I like that very much.

Can you talk a little bit more about the grief we experience when going through a divorce?

Yeah, can I just tap on that part where you’re talking about grief, because one thing that I find that when, when I work with, because my work is very much with children, parents, who are going through divorce to do with their children. Not so much with them as the adults, but to help them, uh, navigate their children’s feelings, emotions, and so forth.

And one of the things that I have found when I, when I do my assessment with the parents, is, understanding how easy it, it is to not really understand that going through a divorce is not just grieving for, the loss of the marriage, but there’s so much more that you’re grieving for. Can we talk a little bit about the grief?

Absolutely. Um, we grieve not only, about as you said the end of a relationship, but first, first of all, there are a lot of people affected, and you mentioned children, also elderly parents, also friends and family so all this, is extremely difficult and some times for example, being humiliated out of a relationship, if this been an affair or if everybody knew before, you did, it’s really, really difficult to handle.

I remember a client saying to me years ago, “I’ve lost my past and I have lost my future.” And that sentence stayed with me because obviously she thought she had been married for over 30 years, they had children, so she felt that, that all, all that was tainted. But also she was looking forward to a happy retirement with her husband, who incidentally had asked her to go and buy a house, never visited it, and then said “by the way this is your house now, and I’m going there.” So she said I’ve lost my future. That is terrible.

How do you help a client who feels like they have lost their past and their future cope with divorce?

Yeah, and I’m just thinking just that what you said about “I have lost my past and I’ve lost my future.” Can I just ask how you then helped this client because, I’m sure there are people who are going to be listening to this who are just like, absolutely, especially when they’re in the beginning, of the divorce process or they’re really into it. What would you say to them, if they think “I’ve lost my past and I’ve lost my future.” What would you say?

First of all it’s important that they feel hurt, it is true. Because I mean they’re going to feel that, their partner is bulldozing them into making decisions, there is a legal process taking place, they’re completely losing control, so I think the first thing I want them to know, is that their fear, is valid. They need to be heard, it is true, they have lost the future as they had dreamt it.

But of course, once they work through all this, they will discover another future, often a better one by the way, but it is at that point, they don’t see it, at all, and yes it’s true that they, for example this woman at from the lovely cottage in the country, thinking it would be happily ever after, except she found herself on her own in the beautiful cottage.

So yes, the future has been to stolen from her, but then I work at first of all, helping them through the worst of it because they are at a terrible time, in fact I remember that client, cried so much that I was running out of tissues! I had a box, and she was using them all, um, and then, it’s important but equally they can’t stay there. You can’t forever think, “oh my God somebody has stolen my future.” That cannot be.

So, very quickly you have to think of, extracting yourself from this. So first of all it’s the survival, and then starting to think, and later on when you work through, and often the relationship was not that good actually when you think about it, there were things which were not brilliant, you work through and start thinking of another future. Yeah, yeah.

And you said something there about, first of all she can’t stay there. No. But we know, you know and I know, yeah, that there are men, and women, and spouses, and ex spouses, who will stay there and not just for the year, they can stay there for, several years. And that is so, depressing to see. Because it is normal.

I mean you know people have been punched in the stomach metaphorically speaking, it’s a huge thing, it’s a huge shock. It’s like, a kind of a grenade in your life, and it’s normal to take time, at first you’re winded for a while, and then you have to work through something extremely complicated which makes no sense. But I would say that after a few months, you have to start thinking now hang on a minute, during that time if I’m not working through this, my life is on hold, my partner’s life is not on hold, if there is another party involved. They’re not on hold, so who is losing there?

I think it’s very important to see that, and I also think that, it is incredibly bad for clients to ruminate. You cannot stay thinking about what you’ve lost. You, at first yes, you have to understand what you’ve lost, but very quickly, you have to think, and agree even intellectually that your future, is going to be different and you have to work through the pain, and unfortunately there’s no easy way of doing that it’s painful, but at the end of it you find a way to grow.

Yeah, I had as you say so many clients, but I believe that they, at the end of it, I would say 99.9% of them have found a way to grow and that’s the success. Yeah. And what you just said there I think um, apart from what you had said about um, it’s normal to feel the pain, but where you said unfortunately it’s painful. It is painful, yeah, undoubtedly. Yeah undoubtedly, painful I mean I had written in the first book if had a magic wand I wish, I see people I mean struggling in such levels of agony, and I have to help them uh. And I think it’s very much about, yes, you are right, you are in that terrible place.

I think that people need to be, compassionate towards themselves and sometimes people say “I can’t believe”, “I can’t emerge from that.” Well I can believe. So you can’t be too, too hard you have to be compassionate.

I remember again Dr Julia Samuel who I heard few months back, she spoke about rituals in the recovery process. And I like that very much. She also called them beautifully, “habits of the soul.” Oh. And I feel it’s lovely too because you have to hold on to something. And she wanted them to start rituals which make, make them feel safe, grounded, and maybe if every morning they start with a walk, instead of staying in bed, unwashed saying “poor me, poor me.” I think it’s quite nice to start with this.

So I absolutely agree with that and rituals are important, we know that in history and they are grounding, and anything which can ground you at the beginning when you feel, you’ve lost control you are in kind of moving suns, is really important those little, stones you can jump to in the middle of the mud, to hold on to, yes because I can do this, and this and if you have a I don’t know, even an invitation to do something, think about it, it’s the next little stone to jump onto. And I really like that very much.

I like that too and there’s something quite empowering about creating your own rituals. Um, you don’t have to stick to that person’s ritual, or that person’s ritual, it’s creating your own ritual. I remember a client saying to me you know the, at the table you know what it’s like in a couple, she said that night she sat in his chair. And that was, it’s nothing, but it was hugely relevant to, of course it was, it meant do you know what, I own this house it’s my space.

Have you seen the different ways that men and women cope with divorce?

Yeah, yeah. What Danielle, what about okay I don’t know what percentage of your clients are, men because I know in my work probably 97% of them are male. Um, so they’re mostly dads who have been um, court ordered to attend or who have been suggested to attend a, a Triple P Parenting Program that I offer, and then I have mums who come in for other reasons. And I just want to, to understand a little bit if in your field you’ve seen, different ways that men will cope as divisive as it might sound, that men will cope in different ways than women tend to cope.

I would say that 50% I’m, I’m an equal you know 50% men and women. Good. Uh, so I find it difficult to answer that because in my view, it’s not men, it’s people. There are people, who struggle, some of my women client will say “well men do this” I said “well actually no, people do this. There are people who have affairs, there are people who will evade, trying to be uh, put in front of the, consequences of their action. It’s nothing to do with men or women.” So to me I feel that much more.

Now in terms of copying mechanisms, in some way women can speak more to friends, although that’s a double-edged sword, you know sometimes well-meaning people, can give the wrong advice. Men, not so much, and I think the reason they work with me is maybe that they feel lonely in this, and they that they need support. But no I, I can’t put it down to, but obviously also you mentioned that you work with people who have young children. For me, most of my clients are a little bit older, and often the children are young adults or even they have left the. So it’s slightly different. I don’t deal with children arrangements and to me I refer, to Parenting Coaches when there are issues like this I don’t deal with them. Yeah.

Can you talk about the double edged sword of talking to friends and family about your divorce?

And I think you touch on something quite important there, which is talking. You said one thing you said it can be a “double-edged sword.” And I know with, with my male friends you know they say the same thing they’re like “oh when we have a problem we just go sit down and we go hey how is everything”, and then that’s it five minutes and it’s done. But then, we’ve come to see the statistics in terms of the biggest killer of men in this country is suicide. Indeed, and um, so there is something to be said about allowing or not even allowing that’s the wrong word, to get men to speak. It’s so normal that you’re hurting.

When I, when I work with the dads in my practice, I’ve seen some of the most amazing fathers, who are just absolutely hands-on and they want to be there for their children but that is kind of taken away from them and they will sit and they will break and they will cry and they can’t understand you know, why this is happening. But they won’t do the same outside with their friends, or you know, they’ll just say “yeah no it’s okay it’s a little bit hard but you know.”

So I, I wish that you know, they could have this space that, where they can just feel. Comfortably, safely, like we do, you know with friends. But I want to talk about the double edged sword bit, because I kind of have a feeling I know what you’re talking about, but tell tell us what you mean.

So first of all you write, and I work with clients like this, whatever parent uses their children as pawns as a frankly, frankly put the child first and there a lot of you, there’s a lot of evidence about that. It is so wrong. Men do it too, women do it. It is wrong, wrong, wrong.

I think in the recovery process and to stop from wobbling, it is very important to spend time with friends. Uh, friends have a huge role to play, not for advice, I still don’t believe that I’m much agree, with you it’s about having a safe space, somewhere where people are not judged, and where people are not going to get the wrong kind of advice. But friends are essential because we are not uh, you know alone in the world. We need to be connected and in fact I would say a way to stop wobbling so much, is to connect. And it’s very, very important to, build up those connections.

The temptation when it happens initially is to stay in our shells and, yes for a short amount of time, but that is important to reconnect, and maybe actually, to have normality or at work as a matter of fact, normality it’s normal to go to the pub with a friend, it’s normal to play sport with a friend. That’s what you need to reconnect and to be reminded, that you are much more than what has just happened, you know that doesn’t define your identity forever more. And sometimes that break, where you are not “oh that poor person who’s been left behind” is really, really important.

And also, with a friend you’re going to laugh. And my goodness I believe in that. Because sometimes you can forget, and having a good laugh is really useful. So not being isolated during the process, but equally friends, yes some friends have different functions, that would be slightly wary about the well-meaning friends. And certainly incredibly wary and in fact avoiding like the plague the social circle and people would say “so what’s happening now?” As if that was, you know, your life is about, entertainment, yes, I mean for goodness. The answer to that I believe in very short sentences. “Yes I’m going through something very difficult” and not comment because really that’s for you.

And people who think they can go speak about you are not friends. So if you know I, I was telling you earlier on like you know when I was going through this book which I read ages ago and I was going through it again. I’ll send you a new copy Soila! Yeah, there’s so much in here like I was saying to you the, this section where you say “you will get better and you will find a new you.”

I know it’s a process, and I’m just remembering when I was going through divorce, you’re, you’re pretty lost, internally, mentally, and you will make mistakes where you will confide in somebody who will just fund the flames of your anger. Um, you will feel alone, you will feel judged, you will feel useless, you will feel like you have failed, you will worry about my future, what am I going to be? What am I going, to who am I? You know all of that, there’s a lot and all that can I remember just feeling lost and when you’re saying just staying in bed, because, what’s the point?

But the point is you need to get up. My first client the door to was in her dressing gown and I said oooh shower, make up, and we start working. To be honest she was my first client my, my list of clients was not long, I could do this. But what you say is absolutely the spirit of my work. Yes, I have to help people through, but having been doing this for, you know 14 years now, what I know with absolute certainty, is that, eventually people emerge.

And um, there is now something we speak about post-traumatic growth. And yes it is a trauma by the way, but that PTG, post-traumatic growth I love that. It’s only because you’ve gone through something very difficult that you work it through, that you grow, to bigger and better, and you know sometimes my client said to me “oh, you know now two years down the line, five years down the line, I’m much happier, you know, I’m with a better partner I’m with,” whatever or decide not to have a partner by the way. But they have this decisions and they are happier, really it is true because we grow out of these mad things that we go through.

For a while we don’t see that of course we don’t, but I always say to client you will eventually, and yes it’s a new you, but I mean I’ve been through divorce too and gosh when I remember what it was like. But I’ve emerged and, and have a much happier life, in every single way.

What does one do with the anger when the relationship ends suddenly?

Yeah, yeah, can we touch on the anger. I think correct me if I’m wrong cause you’re the relationship person. I, imagine that the person who leaves, sometimes they have processed the leaving while in the marriage, it’s kind of “easy” in inverted commas, to leave but the person who’s been left, the anger, not so much even the pain but the anger of how dare you? What did I ever do? I’m just I’m just thinking what does one do with that, when you think that you’re sailing along with your, spouse like really nicely and then suddenly, he or she, or they turn around and they say actually, I need to get out of this.

I’m thinking about a client I was working with yesterday, at the end of November, her husband announced he was leaving uh, no real explanation. Uh, immediately before Christmas so, two weeks later, he wanted to go to mediation. And because she didn’t feel ready, he was saying “you, you’re dragging your feet, you’re this, you’re that, you’re the other.” Well I’m afraid, well before you can do anything, you have to process this woman is winded. And for me the first thing people will think is pain. This and, and confusion, “what is it? Why? Why? Why? In fact, most of them will never know why.

But this um, yesterday morning my client said to me so we’re looking at now January, and she said to me “I’m so angry.” And I said good, good, because she has moved from the pain where she feels it’s her fault when she doesn’t know what to do to saying, “how dare he.” And already, she had put in place things where she was saying no. And I was pleased to see that because that means that on some level, not a lot, first of all she had lost control before and also for me I work at trying to make a, client see or to get some form of control.

And when they start being angry, they are more able to do this. I mean, you know and again, she might be angry, and then the next day she’s so low, that’s normal. But, eventually there is a pattern, and she emerges from this. So when I hear that they’re angry, I’m quite happy actually, again as long as they don’t stay there.

Yeah, they don’t stay there and they don’t become destructive. No, that’s it. Yeah, yeah, and I like what you just said, about the you know, one minute you’re feeling like this, the next minute you’re like this, because it’s not a linear process. Oh no. The recovery, it can be you take two steps, and you go back, and you, will so no wonder you’re calling it wobbling, you know because you wobble, wobble, until you’re able to then eventually, you know steady yourself and yeah, yeah. And it’s again completely normal, but the trend is up even if it’s two forward, two steps forward one back, the trend is up, and the moments of wobbling, will be less frequent and less deep as well, as time goes on.

How do you approach a new client who is feeling really low?

So have to hold down there, it’s like you know by the fingernail, hold on there. You can’t bear. Let’s imagine um, just before we finish Danielle, let’s imagine I am a man, my wife has just said to me, or my husband has just said to me, I don’t want to be here anymore, I have met somebody, and um, all that is breaking out and I’m feeling really, really, really, really, awful, and I come to see you and I’m like Danielle I found your contacts online, on The Divorce Magazine, could you please tell me what, how, I need your help. Where do you start and what would that work look like?

So I get very few, of these kind of clients because my clients are normally referred by lawyers, and they are not coping. So um, what so that’s one bit, they’re not coping somebody just been told I’m going. Uh, the, I help people make decision. Now a person who’s feeling guilty because they have said, it’s the end of the marriage, it’s rare but actually, it’s really good if a partner can say, “I’m really sorry, but this is the end and I’ve met somebody.” I wish, I wish people would all do that.

Instead, most people, at least the people I work with, have been at the receiving hand of somebody, who is not telling them the truth, who has been planning for a year or two to uh, leave, who is blaming them for that, “it’s your fault you did that, you didn’t do that”, trying to feed the narrative.

And that or even give no explanation, that first client I mentioned in her dressing gown, she came back from work one night to find a removal van on the driveway and he went. And she never got any explanation. Now that is hard. Whereas an explanation like that, it’s hard of course, but at least it’s honest, because otherwise you feel you’ve been lied to and there’s nothing worse. You deserve the respect of an explanation, and if you don’t get that, no wonder it’s hard. And it will take longer to recover, because how the relationship ends, has an impact, no question about that. Yeah.

There’s yeah, there’s, there’s a part where in your book where you say, right at the beginning getting divorced where you say “only initiate proceedings if it is what you really want to do.” Yes, they are, a lot of people who say “right so this is the end, so there’s no need to speak to a lawyer by the way, let’s just agree” and you know, and you are bulldozed into a process which is completely out of your control.

So at first no, take your time to think what do I want often it’s because the, actually the person who say they want it to be done very quickly, I’ve met somebody else, I’m afraid you don’t jump to their tune you need to be ready, but eventually you will see, you will understand, that you can’t make anybody love you. You know that doesn’t exist, you sooner stop the tide, frankly.

So eventually you’re thinking no that’s it, and then if you decide that’s it and I’m starting the divorce, that is a heck of a big control that you’ve taken back. But only do it when you’re ready and I had a client who had to wait you know 6 months or, or more, before they felt capable of that. Well fine, you know fine. We I, think it has to be when you’re ready. Yeah, it, it, is like we said right at the beginning going full circle, it is a loss. When somebody comes and announces to you that somebody very close to you has died, you need time to process, you need, you, you’ll sit there going I don’t understand, I don’t understand, I spoke with them yesterday, how can they be dead? You know, the same thing with, with marriage I’m ending it, but what do you mean you’re ending it, what, what I’m you know.

Exactly, and you’re right to make that comparison because I, I make that comparison with clients. The, the difficulty with divorce, is that as opposed to death, your partner is alive. Not only that, but your partner might be with somebody else. My goodness, you know the one who is going to get the, the casserole and the sympathy is the widow or the widower, not the person who’s been left behind. And it is so hard to cope, with the idea that somebody has gone with somebody else, and yeah it is incredibly hard.

I really compare it with the feeling of death, loss that way, but almost worse at the beginning because on top of this you had humiliation, being lied, to all sorts of things. But in, I think in the long run you, possibly recover quicker nevertheless. There’s something there.

Danielle thank you so much, it’s a conversation that we can keep going where I’m thinking maybe, we need to at some point talk about, just focus on the shame, yeah, um, of a failed relationship, you know, um.

That is huge, yeah. Um, so I think and then also the, the maybe on the other side of it, where it’s the guilt I don’t know if, if people who live relationships go to see divorce coaches because they feel so guilty for what they have done. I don’t know, I can’t, so because. My work is really to make people look at the reality and they might not like this. But guilt, guilt, even if you both agree the marriage comes to an end, you’re guilty, you feel guilty so it’s, you have children, you have, we spoken about that before, so guilt is a very, valid emotion.

And of course, even if you have been left, you feel guilty, that so what was wrong with me? What did I not do? What did I not? Say, well probably nothing. It’s just you know but, and that, on that you mention the death of a loved one is the same you feel guilty, you know did I do enough? I didn’t say that, all sorts of things guilt, and shame, are usually and if you manage to work through those emotions, you definitely uh, you know emerge quicker.

What tips would you give to someone going through a divorce to steady themselves?

If you were to give us some tips to steady yourself, what, during you know from, when you wobble during divorce what would you say? I’m looking at my list, not remating, so maybe the not to do is that, did I put other negatives, not looking at everything in terms of loss.

But if I want to be positive, I would say regaining control sometimes is very small like sitting in his chair, compassion for self, I mean there’s something you can’t, laughing, moving, taking exercise, journaling. Journaling is seen as, you even if you write two sentences at the end of the day, it’s very important to just it’s a way of saying something without it having consequences. Yeah. Eyes firmly on the end goal. I’m going through this but I know I will emerge, and I will emerge in a better place.

I think it’s also important not to be, some clients will do plenty of things they instead of doing the thing they do, huge amounts of activity, sometimes you need calm. Because it’s in, space a calm space, that thinking can happen uh, what else could I say uh, friends are very important, grieving for the future instead of seeing it as loss. I’ve, I’ve lost my past, I’ve lost my future, yes I need to grieve for that and accepting that it’s huge, and then keeping hope, I know I will emerge even if I can’t really see how. I know that and I will learn from it. If you manage to keep that perspective, and it it’s like flexing a muscle, it gets easier. At first it’s hard but it gets easier, and frankly I can say in all honesty, that at the end, all my clients except one or two but it’s not a lot of number, emerge stronger and better. It is the truth. It is, it is.

Thank you so much Danielle as always. You know your articles that we have um, with your book, if anybody I mean there’s a second edition. So if you can get this, especially honestly, especially if you’re, at the beginning or right middle part of the divorce and you’re struggling with this, you know um, from breakup to recovery uh, first things first, finding some relief, there’s so much in here. And it’s a tiny book so if you’re carrying it you know, it’s not big bulky, it’s straight to the point I think um. Thank you, yeah, if you can, that was actually why I wrote it uh, the solicitor with referring client say, tell us what you say to your client. So that was that. It’s not about me you know some people write about them of no interest just trying to get people at the beginning or early in the process, yeah, and maybe in the middle as well yeah. That was why. Why don’t you tell people how they can contact you? Oh thank you very much, so my name is, complicated but my email is danielle@danielleb.co.uk, that’s it, I don’t know if you can see my name on that, yeah, I mean we’ll have it, we’ll have it on the, yeah, good perfect, and it is on my website, it is on Amazon, but really it was just written, it was not meant to change the world, simply to give support like I do to my clients.

Yeah and, and, um, we’ll have it at the bottom of the link anyway, so people will know how to find you. Thank you so much, I’ll be in contact with all the other bits that we need to cover, an absolute pleasure too, thank you, definitely, bye, bye, bye!

[Music]

Read more articles by Danielle Barbereau.

About Danielle Barbereau

Danielle Barbereau is a leading professional coach specialising in Divorce since 2010. Her unique skill set compliments and adds value to the work of family solicitors by addressing ‘a significant gap in their service’. She supports clients through what is a difficult and painful process (enabling them to give clearer instructions and make better decisions), freeing the lawyer to concentrate on the legal aspects of divorce.

Danielle is the author of After the Split: The Definitive Guide to Recovery When Relationships Break Down which is available on Kindle, Amazon and on Danielle’s website: www.danielleb.co.uk.

How not to ‘hard launch’ your divorce
Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash
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How Not to ‘Hard Launch’ Your Divorce

Sarah Bunn
Sarah Bunn
Associate
Burgess Mee Family Law

In this digital age there is often a temptation to take to social media to record a landmark life event. Coupled with this, for many, there is also the desire to use social media to put the wrongs of the world to right – whether that is in relation to world politics or our personal lives.

In the context of divorce proceedings, from which financial and children proceedings can also follow, a solicitor’s headline advice is likely to be to avoid sharing information about one’s divorce on social media, or at least to err on the side of caution. We all remember Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s ‘conscious uncoupling’ campaign. However, without a PR team behind you, any possible benefits seem to pale in comparison to the possible pitfalls.

Social media may appear to provide useful guidance and tips about navigating the divorce process but often this “advice” or anecdotal evidence is incorrect and could even be harmful. All families are different, and it follows that all divorce experience is different.

As a starting point, parties involved in family court proceedings are expected to uphold confidentiality. This means not sharing details about the case to third parties (unless in specific circumstances, such as when speaking to a legal representative or experts in a case). It also means that a party must not share documents relating to their case with third parties, including their entire social media network. In the context of divorce proceedings, which is largely an online process where spouses can usually avoid ever stepping into a court room, this can easily be forgotten. In financial and children proceedings, whilst attendance at court is more likely, reminders are often necessary.

Divorce, Confidentiality & Social Media

A breach of confidentiality in relation to family proceedings can have a negative impact on one’s case. Judges will be far from impressed and may say so, and in more extreme cases, the individual who is in breach of confidentiality can face fines and/or even a term of imprisonment.

It is important to be aware that even if one maintains confidentiality about the proceedings themselves, derogatory posts on social media about your spouse/child’s other parent can be used as evidence in a case. For example, social media posts about what a terrible person your (soon-to-be former) spouse/partner is or criticism of their parenting styles are often screenshotted and exhibited to narrative statements in order to evidence the conduct and entrenched views of one party about another.  More often than not, this will negatively impact a judge’s perception of the person posting such information, as opposed to the ‘postee’.

It is important to remember that judges are human and that they have a fairly wide discretion within the law. If they take against a particular party, this could impact the final decision which may be unappealable so keep them onside if you can.

Family, Social Media & Divorce

During family proceedings, it is often advisable to avoid social media altogether as what may be construed as positive posts can be used in a negative context, for example, during children proceedings where a party posts a photo of their new partner having a fun day out with children. If the other parent did not know that the children had been spending time with a new partner, such photos may be used as an example of a lack of positive co-parenting and joint decision-making.

Divorce, Finances & Social Media

In financial proceedings, constant updates about new relationships and time spent at each other’s home can be used as evidence of one of the parties’ cohabitation, or intention to cohabit with their new partner or even that claims of financial straits are untrue; “Just look at that 5-star hotel/business class flight/new handbag!”. This may impact financial provision made upon divorce. Even screenshots of CVs and comments found on a spouse’s professional profile can be used as evidence in relation to income and earning capacity.

As an aside, divorcing spouses should also be made aware, at the start of a case, about the move towards transparency in the family court. This development brings in a presumption that approved media and legal bloggers may attend most hearings in the family court and that they may report what they see, hear, and read, although usually the reporting will be anonymised first. This change in the ‘private’ nature of proceedings may result in an inevitable loss of control by parties to keep the details of their case private and shielded from mainstream media, even if they uphold their side of the confidentiality bargain.

Whilst media outlets will not construe every case as a matter of public interest, and there are limits to what can be reported, if you have concerns about this, it is important to have a discussion with your solicitor about whether the media may be interested in your case, and what steps you can take to keep details of your case private.

Some helpful guides about confidentiality in family court proceedings can be found on the government website:

Read more articles from Burgess Mee.

About Sarah Bunn

Sarah Bunn is an Associate at Burgess Mee. She specialises in complex financial remedy and private children law cases. She also advises clients in relation to nuptial agreements and cohabitation disputes.

Travelling-During-and-Post-Divorce
Photo by scalatore1959 on Envato Elements

Travelling During and Post-Divorce

Wendi Schuller
Wendi Schuller
Dating Coach
Author of The Global Guide to Divorce

Solo travelling during and post-divorce can be daunting when used to having a spouse as a built-in travel partner. Flight delays and other travel issues can seem more stressful when no longer going on holiday as a duo. There are ways to have a travel adventure and not have to do it alone.

Themed Sola Holidays

What can make solo travel more pleasant is when it is centred around a particular activity. There are cooking trips to Italy and photo safaris in Africa. You meet people with a common interest and it is easy to connect with each other. Solo travellers go to destinations such as a yoga retreat or an ashram. Some of these have a community table for meals where individuals can meet others and share their experiences.

Adventure trips are an option. There are a multitude of global destinations for these types of trips. A single woman enjoyed a bicycle trip through South Africa and the group was mostly comprised of solos. A man went on a motorcycle trip in Asia and is planning more. There are hikes on the Inca trail in Peru, trekking in Nepal and other exotic places. Or sign up for a hike near home, such as Hadrian’s Wall.

Group Tours

You do not have to make the arrangements. When plans go awry, the group leader makes new arrangements. There usually are other singles or friendly couples. When considering various companies, ask what is the average percentage of singles on their tours. For example, post-divorce when I took my sons to India with SmarTours, one-third of the group were single travellers. The tour guide said this was the norm. We all interacted and had fun.

There are travel companies which are a good fit for singles. Exodus Adventure Travel, One Traveller, Friendship Travel and Justyou.co.uk. have tours for solo travellers. Check and see what is the size of the group. Also, if there is a single supplement. I got an email about a great deal from a river cruise company whom I travelled with previously. The price was offset with an 85% single supplement charge. That is almost paying for another person.  Luckily, I found a friend to go on this holiday with me. Some tour operators can match you up with another single same-sex traveller to avoid the single supplement charge.

Going It Alone

What has worked for people is to choose a destination with plenty to do. Paris for example has many museums, lovely parks and boulevards.  A popular pastime is to people-watch from a café wherever your holiday is. When you pick a lovely location, you can be as busy or relaxed as you choose. There are day or several-hour tours which give a chance to interact with others. Going to local fairs and events gives the opportunity to connect with locals.

Volunteering

Another way to have an adventure plus give back to others is by volunteering with global organizations, such as Earth Watch and Global Work and Travel. You pick a destination and type of volunteer opportunity which is interesting from a large list.  This type of travel can boost mood and self-esteem when going through a contentious divorce.

Travel tips

When searching online consider using “incognito”. Cookies are not saved when searching for hotels, etc. A travel site may give a great price for a room or whatever. When you go back later to book it, the site sees you have visited it before and raises the price. Incognito allows you to go back and get the same initial price.

Before leaving on your holiday, check out walks with locals. A local citizen at your destination meets you at a specified point and shows you around their city. This is a good way to learn about a place and see it through a native’s eyes. Other types of walking tours can be prebooked, such as food ones, ghost ones, etc.  Getting out of town is a way to rejuvenate yourself and get a different perspective. Bon Voyage!

Read more articles by Wendi Schuller.

Wendi Schuller

Wendi Schuller is a dating coach who helps people after divorce and break-ups to start dating again. She is a hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner and a nurse. She wrote The Global Guide To Divorce.  https://globalguidetodivorce.com     

She writes the Jack Jack The Cat series for children

isolation-and-divorce-banner
Image by wirestock on Freepik

How To Use Isolation To Have a Breakthrough After Divorce

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

Unveiling the healing power of alone time

Being alone can be the most challenging part of divorce.

I don’t mean living on your own. I mean feeling as if you are the only person in the world going through something so devastating.

I’m talking about the feeling of isolation.

Isolation is a unique feeling. It’s that sense that there is nobody around us, even when we’re in a room full of people. It can be a bewildering experience, especially if you’ve never gone through it before.

Feeling isolated after divorce is a common experience for us all. No matter how much we try to stay connected to people or how many people we have around us, there is still a feeling of being ‘cut off’.

The peculiar part is that even though we feel this way, we don’t seem to have the emotional energy to make any changes. It’s almost like a self-imposed prison at times.

I can recall in the first years after separating from my husband that, no matter how busy I kept myself or how many people I spent time with, I felt very much alone.

I would try to talk to my family and friends about what I was experiencing, and although they would listen and try to comfort me, I still felt as though I was stumbling through a dark forest by myself.

In some ways, trying to communicate made it worse, so I’d retreat further into my alone time.

The hardest part was having no clue when I was going to come out of it. On the worst days, I felt as though this was just going to be my life now.

Divorced and isolated.

Of course, I came out of this time and was able to look back and reflect on why the whole experience was necessary and beneficial.

I want to share something with you today that may ease any concerns you have if you are feeling like this at the moment.

There is an essential purpose to what is happening.

Emotional pain and trauma can’t be seen, but they are as real as a traumatic physical accident.

Imagine someone suffering extreme physical trauma after a car crash and then trying to get up and walk away from the wreckage without healing.

This is equal to someone trying to go on as normal after a divorce.

A period of isolation is the emotional equivalent of getting treatment for physical trauma.

It allows you to rest, process, grieve, plan, grow and, most importantly, heal.

Dark Night of the Soul

There are many terms for this voluntary isolation period that humans go through after extreme events that cause us to retreat and seek emotional sanctuary.

The one that resonated most with me is ‘Dark Night of the Soul’. Eckhart Tolle describes it this way:

It is a term used to describe what one could call a collapse of a perceived meaning in life…an eruption into your life of a deep sense of meaninglessness. The inner state, in some cases, is very close to what is conventionally called depression. Nothing makes sense anymore; there’s no purpose to anything.

Divorce strips us of our identity and our dreams. The path ahead, the one we thought we’d be following for the rest of our lives, has dissolved. It’s only natural that we would feel what Tolle describes above.

And it’s only natural that we would need some time to cocoon ourselves from this type of shock.

Although there is a natural resistance to going through isolation, there are ways that you can shift your mindset from struggle to acceptance.

Here’s how leaning into isolation can benefit you after divorce.

  • Time and space: It allows you time and space to gradually come to terms with the changes and the loss you have experienced.
  • Minimizing triggers: Interactions with other people can trigger us when we’re this raw. Being alone helps us stay emotionally regulated.
  • Grief: Grief requires us to experience a specific cycle of emotions that must be felt to move on. This takes time and emotional energy.
  • Planning: Being alone gives you the opportunity to spend time defining what you need now and where you want to go next in your life.
  • Resilience: You are learning the very important life lesson that you are capable of getting yourself through intense struggle without needing anyone else to ‘rescue’ you.
  • Privacy: If you need to ‘fall apart’, you can do it without feeling judged or worrying loved ones.
  • Reflection: You have changed. The old you is gone. Who is the new you? You need this time to discover who you are outside of the identity you built within your marriage.

Of course, none of these concepts are easy to execute, and at times, it can feel overwhelming and scary.

But by anchoring back to the knowledge that there is a bigger purpose to this time, you will be able to trust that it’s necessary and temporary.

Don’t try to rush this process. As you heal, you will start to feel the natural glimmers of hope that things can be better. You will begin to get little impulses to reconnect with others in small steps.

Eventually, you will emerge from this time, ready to form new connections as the person you have become. You will have a stronger sense of self and an improved emotional skill set.

After my divorce, I went through an isolation period, which lasted around 18 months. It was a very dark time, and I felt like I was trapped in the darkness, unable to find a way out.

The second time it happened to me after my four-year relationship ended, I was able to recognize what was happening. This made it slightly easier to stay focused on my healing and allow the process without despairing.

It still sucked, but I knew that it wouldn’t last forever.

What was really interesting is that I began to notice how my feelings of being cut off began to transform from isolation to solitude.

The difference is that solitude is a feeling of enjoying being on my own. It’s the realisation that being alone does not mean being lonely.

I love my solitude now. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve recognised and accepted that I’m far happier and content with fewer people around me. It’s all about quality, not quantity, like it used to be in my twenties and thirties.

I understand now that isolation can be a gift if we understand its purpose and use it to our advantage during tough times.

It’s my hope that if you are currently in a period of isolation, this post has helped you to have a deeper understanding of the process and keep the faith that you will come out the other side of it feeling much stronger.

If you would like support to navigate loneliness or isolation after divorce, let’s talk. I can help you use this time to your advantage as you begin to take concrete steps to rebuild and feel stronger after divorce.

If you’re recently separated and want to feel confident to co-parent with your ex and start rebuilding your life, explore my coaching packages here.

Download my free divorce recovery workbook here.

Click here for more articles by Carol Madden

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

Discover me on social media:

post-divorce-goals-managing
Image by jigsawstocker on Freepik

How To Make Your Post-Divorce Goals More Manageable

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

Here’s how I worked through overwhelm to get things done.

As we step into the new year, I want to take the opportunity to emphasize the significance of setting small goals after a divorce.

I know firsthand the complete turmoil that comes with the end of a marriage. It’s a time filled with uncertainty, change, and an unimaginable sense of loss.

It’s also a time when you need to be on top of high-stakes legal, practical and logistical tasks that require a huge amount of focus. Not much to ask, right?

Shutting Down

When I was in the first months of my divorce, I would fall into a paralyzed state when I had to do practical things like call my lawyer, look for a house, or write a list of possessions that were going to be divided up.

It was already a herculean effort just to get up each day, get the kids organized and get myself to work.

It’s almost as though there is only enough RAM in our brains to process the tsunami of emotions that wipe us out each day, let alone the logistics of creating an entirely new living situation and sorting out legal responsibilities.

The issue was that every time I would put one step in place to move towards separation, it would feel like another emotional body blow.

It was all becoming real, and I didn’t want to face it. So, part of the resistance to getting the tasks done was an awareness that it was going to hurt every time I completed one.

However, I found that by writing down all the things I needed to do and choosing just one thing to focus on at a time, I was able to eventually work my way through them. I committed to not looking at another task until I had completed the task before it.

When you can’t seem to get going on getting things done, it’s important to break down each task into even smaller, more manageable steps to avoid overwhelm and ‘freeze’ setting in.

It’s also helpful to allow yourself some time to check in with yourself and regroup emotionally after each one because there’s a chance that it will trigger some pretty intense feelings each time you tick a goal off your list.

I remember feeling elated when I finally found a home that was perfect for the kids and me. On the way home after signing the lease, I started to sob and had to pull over in my car because I felt almost in a state of shock that it was actually happening.

I was moving into my own home!

It was incredibly disorientating to go from feeling great about finalising a home to being overcome with panic because things were becoming so real.

Further Down The Track

If you’re past the logistics stage of divorce and are now beginning to live your new life, goals are important in the rebuilding process. Are there things you want to get done now but can’t seem to make a start?

Maybe you’re looking for a new job and can’t face opening the laptop, or you want to get out and build a social life, but you keep getting lured by the comfort of staying home and hiding.

Break your goal down into tiny actions, and do one step at a time.

For example, I wanted to join the squash club because it was an activity that was good for my physical health and would also help me to meet new people.

I kept putting it off because I was imagining the awkwardness of walking into the club and not knowing a single person. Weeks went by, and I still hadn’t gone.

Eventually, I decided to break it down into small chunks and tackle one thing each time.

Step one, call the club and chat with the manager about times and membership options. Step two, find my racquet in the garage. Step three, drive to the club for one session.

(I allowed myself permission to go only once if that’s all I felt comfortable with. Just walk in the door and make a start.)

It may sound silly to break something down into minute steps like this, but sometimes small things can feel very daunting when you’re recovering after divorce.

I ended up having a great time and meeting some nice people. I know that breaking it down helped me get over the barrier of feeling nervous to walk into a room full of strangers.

Here’s why setting small goals after divorce can be incredibly beneficial, regardless of what stage you are in:

  1. Regaining a Sense of Control: Divorce can leave us feeling powerless and adrift. Setting small goals allows us to regain a sense of control over our lives. They provide structure, purpose, and a roadmap for moving forward, even when the path may seem unclear.
  2. Building Confidence and Self-Esteem: Accomplishing small goals, no matter how trivial they may seem, can significantly boost our self-confidence. Each achievement serves as a reminder of our capabilities, helping to rebuild self-esteem that may have been shaken during the divorce process.
  3. Fostering a Positive Mindset: Divorce often brings forth negative emotions and thoughts. Setting and achieving small goals create positive experiences and a sense of progress. These small victories act as beacons of hope and promote a more optimistic outlook on life post-divorce.
  4. Creating a New Identity: Divorce marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Setting goals allows us to shape and define this new chapter of our lives. They can be centred around personal growth, career aspirations, hobbies, or any area that sparks a sense of purpose.
  5. Taking Incremental Steps Toward Larger Objectives: Small goals serve as building blocks towards larger aspirations. By breaking down bigger dreams into manageable tasks, we make them less overwhelming and more achievable.

Where are you at?

Thinking of your own situation, here are two questions for you today:

  • What stage are you in? Working through logistics or rebuilding a new life?
  • What goals do you have for the coming weeks and months?

They can be as simple as committing to a daily walk, making a phone call, sending an email, or doing one thing for yourself that falls under self-care.

The key is to make them small, realistic, and manageable for the state that you are in right now.

My challenge to you is to pick one of those things, break it into even smaller steps if you need to, and then commit to doing the first step.

If you would like an accountability buddy to help you get the ball rolling, I’d be happy to do that for you. Send me an email with the goal you want to achieve, and then let me know once you’ve achieved it.

You’ll be amazed at how much being accountable to another person boosts your motivation to get something done. Not only that, you get to celebrate your achievement with someone else!

Remember, the journey of healing and achieving our goals after divorce is unique for us all. There is no set timeline or formula. Take each day as it comes, break everything down into manageable steps and focus on ONE thing at at time.

And above all else, celebrate every small victory along the way.

If you’re considering working with me in 2024 to start healing and rebuilding after your divorce, you can check out my coaching packages here or book a free discovery call here.

If you know anyone who could benefit from reading this, please consider sharing it with them ❤️

Click here for more articles by Carol Madden

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

Discover me on social media:

What Helps Children of Divorce Cope Interview
Thumbnail for the YouTube video "What Helps Children Cope with Divorce? - TDM Expert Interviews (EP. 5 ) - Dr Soila Sindiyo"
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What Helps Children Cope With Divorce? – TDM Expert Interviews

Soila Sindiyo
Dr Soila Sindiyo
Counselling Psychologist and Founding Editor of The Divorce Magazine

Delve into a comprehensive exploration of children and divorce with Dr. Soila Sindiyo, Founding Editor of The Divorce Magazine and a HCPC registered Counselling Psychologist. In this enlightening interview, Dr. Sindiyo shares crucial insights into recognising signs of a child struggling with divorce, offering invaluable tips on supporting children of divorce through the process, and fostering their wellbeing during and after the proceedings.

Gain a deeper understanding of the psychological impact on children and discover actionable advice to help them not just cope but thrive. Explore the full transcript to equip yourself with essential knowledge for navigating the complexities of divorce with children involved.

Read on for the full transcript of our video, “What Helps Children Cope With Divorce?”

[Music]

Hi everyone so today we are filming episode five of The Divorce Magazine expert interviews,  and today we’re actually going to be speaking to the Founder of The Divorce Magazine Soila. So Soila do you want to introduce yourself and say a bit about yourself?

Yeah, so my name is Soila, I am, uh, the Founder of The Divorce Magazine I’ve been, well now we, because now it’s not just me anymore have been um, working and running The Divorce Magazine for quite a few years now. Um, and what it is it’s actually um, what we would call a bridge between the divorce professionals, and their clients that they’re looking for.

So we offer um, we get contributions from divorce professionals only, and no bloggers, and um, um, that they give us contributions of articles on all kinds of issues to do with divorce and separations and then our readers are very much um, clients or people who are looking um, for assistance or help support and guidance from divorce professionals.

So we’re kind of like a bridge an online magazine that’s bridging between, the divorce professionals and the clients or those who are going through divorce and um, and separation.

Um, so that’s one part of me, the other part of me the hat that I’ll be wearing today is um, uh, Doctor and Counselling Psychology and I’ve been working with children and families um, goodness I don’t know how long actually when I, maybe I do and I don’t want to say but anyway um, I’ve been working with children and families for let’s say over a decade or so um, but now um, it seems like my work has become very, very focussed on working with divorce and what comes through with divorce.

Whether it’s their parents um, whether it’s their families, their dads, their mums, whoever, is embroiled in this world of divorce which can be quite difficult and confusing.

Perfect thank you. So today we’re going to be talking about sort of, like what helps children cope with divorce and stuff so, it would be really interesting to hear what you have to say about it.

What helps children of divorce cope?

So my first question is what actually helps children cope with divorce? Um, yeah I think the first thing that I would say is, just for, parents to realise that the moment that we tell our children that um, we’re going to divorce, or that they’re going to divorce and separate, or they’re going to live in different households um, not to assume that the children saw it coming.

Even where there has been a lot of acrimony and there has been violence, not to just assume that the children know this has been coming. To actually treat it like it’s news to the children and to take it from there because that moment can be a watershed moment for the children and uh, and then the other thing that can help them cope with the divorce is to be able to answer their questions as much as possible. “When am I going to see my dad?” “When am I going to see my mum?” “Where am I going to be living?” “Where are you going to be living?”

You know just answer their questions as they come. Because one, one um, psychologist that I love dearly um, he’s no longer with us but you know his name is Haim Ginott and he wrote a book on uh, Between Parent and Child, and one of the things he says in that book is “children don’t ask a question to which they have an answer.”

So when you’re going through divorce, and your child asks questions and you think, ‘well they should know the answer to that’ actually they don’t, it’s a whole new world that they’re trying to manoeuvre now.

You know, “mummy and daddy are no longer in the same house um, what does that mean?” Whichever parent has moved out of the house, whether it’s mum or dad and they’ve moved out of the house, let the children know where you are, if they can come and see where you are, and you know sometimes it’s really difficult and it can be in a bedsit that the one parent has moved to go and live in a bedsit because of financial reasons. It’s okay let your child come and see where you are so that they don’t have this whole um, questions in their mind, “where is daddy?” “Where is mummy?” “Where are they living?” “Are they safe?” “Are they okay?” Because they will ask those questions.

So it’s very much about, you know helping them cope, answering the questions, providing them with uh, the other thing that I would say um, to help them really, really cope, if their lives can remain as, it was before the divorce as much as possible, a lot of the times it’s not possible, but um, if it cannot remain that meaning that um, they go to the same school, they have the same friends, um, they still remain in contact with mummy’s family, with daddy’s family, they still see the grandparents if that can still remain the same for them, then that would be absolutely great for them.

If it cannot, then you have to be aware of how those changes are going to affect them because their world now has changed, and it will change even more if suddenly they can’t see the people that they have been seeing. So security, stability, predictability, if they can have that post-divorce then that would be really helpful for them, it can help them cope a lot yeah.

Are there tell-tale signs if the child is not coping with divorce?

Amazing, and so is there anything that you would say is like a tell-tale sign if they’re not coping with divorce? Yeah, um, yeah and this can also be dependent on age.

So let’s say through the, childhood lifespan if I can call it that um, some of the common uh, or usual um, observations that you can make if your child has not been able to cope or is not coping with divorce, is they can maybe withdraw, and just become really silent and this is something that you can even see with really young children even toddlers where they just become really quiet.

Um, sometimes people say “oh then, he’s just a baby, he doesn’t understand that mummy doesn’t live with us anymore or daddy doesn’t live with us anymore.” But if you look at that baby, the baby is aware that there’s a vacuum in the house that has been created.

There’s somebody I’m not seeing or hearing regularly um, so do they become withdrawn or, do they have mood swings do they go from being really quiet and then they just go they’re really quick to anger, which is usually um, one of the biggest signs that they’re not coping and they, you know really quick to anger. Are they um, just being fussy, wingy, whiny, what, what’s going on for them so it’s something to look for, to look, not forward to, but to look out for.

And then um, the other thing that can tell you if they’re not coping, is if, it, if their sleeping habits have changed. If they’re either sleeping too much or too little, if they’re eating too much or too little, whatever changes that you can see um, in terms of what you know how, how, how you would know.

And for some children, and this can happen even with children who are like 10 um, so it’s not just toddlers, they can become very clingy. So they want to know where everybody is, if dad gets up to go to the kitchen to get a coffee, “dad where are you going?” When you know and just, I need to know where everybody is, which can also, it can be so frustrating for parents, “I’m just going to have a shower, can I have that?” You know and it’s like yeah and you might open the door, and you might find them sited outside waiting for you, so they might actually be quite clingy.

Um, I think also, with little ones maybe, let me think and I’m not putting this in stone, but maybe children who are even up to 7/8, you might see some signs of regression. Um, meaning they start doing things that they used to do when they were little um, maybe the foods that they wanted to eat when they were little, if they only wanted to eat pasta with cheese for instance and they haven’t done that for, three years and now it’s just pasta and cheese it’s kind of like their comfort food, have they regressed in one way or the other.

Some children will, stop being able to do things for themselves it’s like “help me put on my jumper” and you’ve been doing that for the last 6 months but now it’s like, “I don’t know how put on my jumper.” So any signs of regression um, yeah I think I mean there, there are loads of other ones, I can’t think of all of them are not coming right now but yeah, those are some of the signs that can tell you when your child is not coping um, with, with, with the divorce or the new home situation.

What are the effects of divorce on children?

And what would you say are the effects of divorce on children? What are like the top ones that you can think of? The top ones that I can think of are, let’s say with school age children, it can be concentration, lack of focus they’re not able to focus anymore um, in school in class um, they’re, wondering “who’s picking me up”, “who’s dropping me off”, “what’s that going to be like” so the school um, environment can be affected.

Um, with older children who are probably sitting for assessments and so forth or have homework, you might see falling grades um, sometimes I’ve had parents who say oh no, no, no, no, the school is fine you know they’re happy, their grades are good, they’ve kept up with their grades and that’s great so that environment has not been affected probably because they’re still in the same school, it’s still the au pair, or the nanny, or the mum, or the grandparent, or the dad who’s picking them up so that side hasn’t change, which is great.

Um, and then the other thing that I can think of um, is the effects of, of divorce on children so you have, the school you have the fears that they might have um, you might have their view of the world you know with the older children for instance you know the world is broken, you know so, “don’t tell me what to do.” So they might become more belligerent, with whatever it is and not just with the parent, but also with other people in their lives. Um, yeah, so that’s, yeah, so that’s some of them.

What advice would you give to parents who are seeing a change in their child?

And what advice would you give to parents who are kind of like seeing a change in their child’s behaviour? How can they manage that? I would say with that um, if you see there’s a change in your child’s behaviour, name it.

Talk to them about it, bring it up, um, don’t, it’s almost like I remember um, attending this training and one thing you know one, two, two, three words I guess it is that, that um, I came away with it’s like connection before correction. So if you have, if you see your child’s behaviour is changing, then meet them where they are because their world has changed not, out of choice, but meet them where they are.

Um, name it say it um, you know “I’ve noticed that for the past week, or for the past two weeks, or the past six months”, or whatever you want you know however long it’s been um, “you’ve been kind of quiet you know um, and I’m just wondering you know how I can help and I’m thinking maybe it’s because of the divorce your dad and I, your mum and I” you know, um, “we’ve been through, I don’t know you know, it’s just something that I’ve noticed is going on with you.”

If they’re, so just reflecting back and we’ll talk about reflexivity again I’m sure but um, yeah as soon as you see any changes in behaviour name it, let them know that you’ve seen them, reflect it back to them um, and please let school know what’s going on at home, you know don’t tell the children “don’t tell school”, you know “don’t take our business to school” not at all because what you’re asking them, is to leave this house that’s already probably bringing them a lot of anxieties and insecurities and so forth, stay with it from 9 to 3:30 or 6 if they’re staying for after school club and then come home with it…

Quite a big ask for children so please let school know what’s going on so that they have somebody in school who’s looking after them. They need looking after nurturing as much as possible, yeah, I’m not sure if I’ve answered your question Amey, yeah, no that was really good really, really.

How much should a parent tell their child about the divorce?

And then so kind of following on from that, when the parents do speak to the children and tell them that they are getting a divorce or they are separating, how much should they actually tell the child about the divorce?

Okay, yeah, this is a question that I really get a lot um, ‘how much do I tell my child’. I always think, age appropriateness. Right um, first of all don’t speak disparagingly or denigrate the other parent and I know maybe I’ll get a bit of backlash from this no matter what they’ve done.

If mum has gone off and had an affair, and this is what’s breaking the, the family up, the child doesn’t really need to know everything about that. You know they don’t need to know oh “she went and had an affair with your PE teacher” I don’t know, you know, it doesn’t need to be said it can just be “something has changed” depending on what age the child is.

Older children, might have an idea already that mum or dad is having an affair or you know dad is going off, or mum is drinking too much they might know that there’s something already amiss. How much do you tell them? You tell them what they need to know.

So “we’re not living together anymore”, “we’re going to separate”, answer all the questions again, but don’t tell them how bad or how horrible the other parent has been and how they’ve mistreated you throughout the whole marriage and everything because as soon as you start doing that, and you start, and I use the word “vomiting everything on top of your child”, they have no way of cleaning up. They don’t have the power, to process and they don’t know where, where to put this you know.

Um, and I will say that with, even with older children/teenagers, let them find out that actually mum has always been really mean to dad and now I can see it, let them find out for themselves. Or, you know um, dad has been always mean to dad and this is how, you know this is why they don’t get on, they’ll find out for themselves. Your job at that moment is to actually continue nurturing them, looking after them, answering the qu, their questions in a way that you’re not putting adult matters on them.

They, they don’t need to know about the court case that’s happening next week and how – said this and how the um, report from the contact centre said that mum is not doing, they don’t need to know all of that. All they need to know is “where are my parents?”, “Am I okay?”, “Will this be okay?” Yeah, perfect.

What is the best co-parenting plan / child arrangement plan?

And what would you say is the best co-parenting plan or child arrangement? I know you’ve spoken with Beth about, you know bird nesting and co-parenting so I’d like to know what, what do you think is the best arrangement?

Yeah, the answer to that that I would come up with is when it’s completely child focussed. It’s child focussed, child-centred, that’s the best co-parenting plan. Um, a lot of the times when I’ve worked with parents uh, I’ve had parents who will come and the child arrangement that they’re coming with is completely focussed on the parents. “I want to see my child”, “I want to see my son”, “I want to see my daughter” and, so which means that their little tiny children who move between homes midweek um, and uh, and when, or if they’re away from the other parent, the other parent doesn’t want them to get in touch with them because “it’s my time with my child.”

When it’s child-centred and child-focussed, “how can I make their world better” then you get a really good co-parenting plan. Um, and it’s hard sometimes especially when you don’t get on with the other parent, it’s really hard, it’s like grr, “I really don’t want to see her today I don’t”, “it’s Thursday she’s coming to you know”, put on your, big girls blouse, pants whatever, and do what you need to do, to make sure that your child says “bye mum, bye dad, I’ll see you later” as opposed to going “dad can we go now, can we go now, can we go now” or having your seven-year-old saying “it’s okay dad I’ll go and meet mum, at you know at the gate myself.”

You know all of that because they don’t want the animosity so the, the co-parenting plan um, is when it’s very, very focussed and I will say as structured as possible, because children need to know, ‘who am I with when, what time’, ‘how am I getting there’, then you’re giving them stability and security in their lives.

With bird nesting, which is um, for those who don’t know we have actually a video on, on um, on The Divorce Magazine about bird nesting and another article about bird nesting but it’s where the children remain in the house, and then the parents move out. So, and then they alternate so this day, daddy comes to the house and looks after the children for a week let’s say and then the next week mum or other dad comes to the house and looks after the children for that week and um, so they stay in, in the house.

And um, I like that I have to say, I like that because if I keep talking about predictability and um, predictability and stability for the children and consistency, that’s a really good way of there being consistency and predictability so they don’t forget “I forgot my homework books at dad’s house”, “I forgot this at, at you know mum’s house” and so forth. So there’s you know there isn’t any of that.

Um, I think in that interview with Beth I actually mentioned having spoken with an adult child of divorce recently when I knew I was going to, to interview Beth, and I asked her “would that have worked for her? Can she imagine that being um, for her? And um, and she said, “I don’t know because it means that I’m left in the house that, where everything broke down and then you get to leave.” Right, “maybe I want to leave, maybe I want a change from one home to the other.”

So there’s that to also keep in mind and, and the other thing with bird nesting it’s not for everybody, because where there is like Beth was saying “where there’s substance abuse, where there’s domestic abuse um, where there psychological emotional”, where there’s you know it’s really, really uh, conducive for the other parent, then maybe bird nesting is not the way. Maybe the other parent who’s going through, whatever form of abuse, or if they, if that the, the parent with a substance abuse is there, maybe not sharing a home you know in that way and having a break could be better for that parent, but then it reflects back to the children. Yeah.

How can parents encourage their children to express their feelings?

And how would you say um, parents can encourage their children to express their feelings and concerns when going through the whole divorce process? I love this question um, why do I like it? Because uh, it talks of reflexivity.

And um, reflexivity is when you reflect back to the child, what’s going on. So like if you think of the child’s mind like uh, black box we don’t know really what’s going on in there, so we are trying to find out and, whatever is in the child’s mind, is showing in their behaviour, just like whatever is in our mind comes out in our behaviour.

So with a child um, when you keep reflecting back to them um, you know “seeing daddy leave might you know seems like it made you sad or, it seems like this new setup is frustrating you”, you’re encouraging them to, acknowledge their own feelings for one and saying to them “you know what, what you’re feeling is actually right, it’s valid, it’s spot on” um, as opposed to not mentioning it or, dismissing it and saying “oh I know your dad’s just left but you’re not going to play up with me” you know “that’s it go to the bath, have your bath like I said” and they just like, you know “I just want to see my dad”, “I just want to see my mum”, you know that kind of thing.

So reflecting back and telling them, “I can see you, I hear you, I see what is going on.” When you reflect back to them, then also what you’re saying to them is that “this is what we need to do”, we need to acknowledge, we need to talk about our feelings and it’s okay sometimes to actually say “you know what, I feel sad that the marriage has broken down as well” you know, “I feel sad about it and I struggle sometimes” um, you know with this or with that but just encouraging them to talk to about their feelings.

But it means that as parents we need to be very vigilant about what is going on in this child, and reflecting it back to them and then they learn, ah, so this is how I’m feeling and it’s okay, I get it. I’m not saying they won’t play up, you know they will but at least their feelings have been acknowledged and it’s okay they might say “I’m really angry with you, I hate you so much” and when they say that it’s because they’re really, really angry that’s their way to show that they’re really angry so just saying to them, “yeah I know you say you hate me and I think what you’re telling me is that you’re really, really angry with me.”

Yeah, yeah, I like that it’s really like validating to the child and making them yeah, yeah. And validating is the word actually it’s validating their feelings yeah, absolutely.

How do I ensure my child thrives not only during a divorce, but afterwards as well?

Erm, so what’s the most important piece of advice the parents who want to ensure their children thrive during, but also after the divorce as well? It’s a tricky question but, it’s a very tricky question and it’s kind of like a big question and I’m thinking um, the most important advice and this is so hard because divorce brings out the worst in us.

You know you can do things during the divorce process that, if anyone had told you, you were going to do that you’d be like “absolutely not, that’s not me”, right and then you go through divorce and you’re like, all guns blazing and you’re, you’re annoyed.

But I think the most important advice that I would give um, to parents is please don’t denigrate or disparage the other child’s the, the child’s other parent, to the child or within ears shot of the child. Don’t talk about what a lousy dad or piece of whatever mum can be and she’s a this and he’s a that, don’t do that when the child is there or when they can hear it.

Don’t argue with the other parent over the phone and say “you always come late I can’t believe it no, no, no.” Don’t create an environment that is causing anxiety to your child. Be the adult in the room, take that anxiety, and take it somewhere else but don’t give it to the child. Don’t think the child needs to know what kind of a dad he is or what kind of a mum she is he doesn’t, or she doesn’t or they don’t.

What they need to know is, my world is going to be okay, and we are the ones who are going to have to do that. So take your anxieties, anger and put them somewhere else, don’t put them on the child and if ever you do, say something that is not nice about the other parent, to the child, apologise. And even if it’s the next day you just say “ do you know what I’ve been thinking I shouldn’t have said that about your dad, because he is your dad I shouldn’t have said that” how, even if you’re thinking ‘I said it because I really mean it’, you’re looking after your child. Yeah. And that’s what matters most. Yeah, yeah.

Amazing, well that’s all the questions I have today but thank you so much, really, really insightful and hopefully these resonate with some people and it helps them kind of navigate the whole process through divorce and separation. Yes, yeah and, and just as a parting you know, note um, like I said to you one time divorce will always be a watershed moment for the children but what happens after, that, that can be the biggest, I would say probably the primary trauma in their lives, what happens after that. Mum and Dad splitting up, one thing, how it’s managed, that’s the most important thing, from then on. Yeah. Okay thank you, thank you so much, thank you, take care.

[Music]

Read more articles by Dr Soila Sindiyo.

About Dr Soila Sindiyo

Dr Soila Sindiyo is a counselling psychologist and a child development psychologist who has worked with children, young people and families for several years. She is the founding editor of The Divorce Magazine and is an accredited Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) practitioner.

Her private practice website parentinglives.co.uk.

Budgeting for One: A Guide to Post-Divorce Finances
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Budgeting for One: A Guide to Post-Divorce Finances

Embarking on the journey of financial planning post-divorce can be a challenging but transformative process. Navigating the complexities of single parenthood and managing tighter finances might seem overwhelming. Divorce often brings significant financial changes, transitioning from joint incomes to a single income, requiring a solid financial plan.

Here’s a breakdown of key aspects to consider:

1. Budgeting and Financial Planning:

  • Dive deep into your income, expenses, and financial obligations to create a realistic plan aligning with short-term and long-term goals.

2. Debt Management:

  • Prioritise and manage shared debts, exploring strategies for a debt-free future.

3. Insurance Analysis:

  • Review insurance coverage to ensure adequate protection for you and your children.

4. Investment Guidance:

  • Craft a tailored investment strategy based on your risk tolerance, time horizon, and financial goals.

5. Asset Division and Settlement Support:

  • Navigate asset division with insights into short and long-term consequences and make informed financial decisions.

6. Estate Planning:

  • Safeguard assets and secure your children’s future by creating a comprehensive estate plan, including wills, trusts, and guardianship arrangements.

7. Tax Planning:

  • Collaborate with a tax advisor to comprehend and optimise post-divorce tax implications.

Navigating these aspects can empower your financial journey after divorce. Consider seeking guidance from financial professionals or utilising online resources to make informed decisions tailored to your unique circumstances.

Read more articles by Peter Marples.

About Peter Marples

Peter Marples – Director of Fair Result and qualified accountant, with the determination to change the way divorce is transacted. For further advice on financial settlements and navigating divorce, use the contact details below:

  • Email
  • Give the team a call – 07500933818 or 0333 577 7009
  • Complete an enquiry form
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Life after Divorce – How Great Communication Equals a Good Sex Life

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

Find the words and reap the rewards

When communication breaks down in a relationship, so does the desire for sex.

Lack of physical intimacy inside a relationship can cause depression, anger, disinterest, and boredom.

I’ve been there.

While sex isn’t the most important part of a healthy relationship, it is an essential part of feeling close to our partners.

When we are unsatisfied with our sex lives, the problem is usually not the lack of sex and intimacy itself but the meaning behind it.

It feels sad and worrying to be rejected when you reach out to your partner for physical affection, and they turn you away. Or when weeks go by without any initiation for closeness.

What’s Really Behind the Desire for Sex?

If you want sex from your partner, what is it that you are actually reaching out for? I’ll bet that most people who are approaching their partners for sex are not hell-bent on having an orgasm. Everyone knows we can give ourselves one of those at any time.

At its core, sex is about wanting to feel close, wanting to feel seen, wanting to feel loved and important.

It’s understandable that over time, in relationships, it gets easier to take each other for granted and stop ‘seeing’ the person we share our lives with every day.

Why is it that in our relationships, when we start to talk about problems with our intimacy, we tend to get stuck on the words? The stakes seem so high. The fear of vulnerability and sharing our needs and honest thoughts can be overwhelming.

There’s also the fear of being rejected, dismissed, or misunderstood. Sometimes, it can feel easier to accept what is happening rather than initiate a difficult conversation and not get the outcome we are looking for.

Relationships and marriages are incredibly complex entities.

In the first few years, relating to each other is fairly easy. You are in the beginning stages of getting to know each other properly. Even if there is conflict, things are patched up quickly, and you don’t need overly heavy discussions.

Slowly, as the reality of building a life together sinks in, the need to communicate effectively gets more critical. Throw parenthood into the mix, and the need gets even greater.

But wait, hang on!

I was never taught how to ask someone for something I needed physically or emotionally. I wasn’t taught how to cope if that person said no when I finally got the courage to ask.

How many of us have expressed a need to our partners after working up the guts to do it for so long, only to have them completely misunderstand what we’re asking for or dismiss what we are asking for because they don’t rate it as being important?

Denial as a Coping Mechanism

I always considered myself to be a good communicator. When things were fractious in my marriage or I needed something, I was proactive about initiating conversations to work through it and improve the situation.

When I look back with the benefit of hindsight, I know I wasn’t brave enough to get to the real core of why things were breaking down. I stuck to the surface level — the ‘in your face’ part of the problem.

I didn’t have the guts to admit that I didn’t want to have sex. That I didn’t feel seen, important, heard, loved. When it came to the real issue, I just couldn’t find the words I needed.

As time went on and our kids took the bulk of our attention and energy, our intimacy was almost nonexistent.

We were stuck in a loop of sweeping everything under the carpet to avoid having a brutally honest conversation about what was really going on between us.

The disconnect slowly grew and took on a life of its own.

I used blame to make myself feel better. “He never brings things up. He always shuts me down. He never wants to talk about the real issues”.

Looking back, though, I realize there was a payoff for me. By blaming my ex for not bringing things up, I could continue to hide and avoid painful conversations myself.

By the time we were in marriage counselling, it was too late. The damage and hurt we both felt were irreparable. As much as we tried everything we could to save our relationship, we had to accept that it wasn’t possible.

To this day, I don’t know what my ex-husband thinks about all of the above. Does he wish he’d been able to tell me how he was feeling deep down?

Couples who are struggling with a lack of physical intimacy can usually trace the issue back to unresolved relationship issues that have been simmering in the background.

So, How Do We Get Better at Communicating To Improve Our Sex Lives?

If we are going to go forward after our divorces and have quality, healthy relationships that don’t end up unravelling because of the same patterns of relating, what do we need to be brave enough to change?

I’ve learned that when a conversation seems scary and hard, that’s an indication that you should definitely have it. If your partner isn’t willing or isn’t able to understand your point of view (or vice versa), then talk to a coach or therapist sooner rather than later.

We tend to think of relationship counselling as the last resort when things are going wrong, but we shouldn’t use it as the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.

It’s okay to seek support for communication in our relationships.

Unfortunately, nobody teaches us how to address these types of problems when we are younger. We aren’t taught how to tell someone we feel unseen, rejected, disinterested, or bored.

Nobody teaches us that there is an option to go to our partners honestly about our struggles and strategize as a team to improve the relationship.

If more people were explicitly taught how to have difficult conversations with their partners, our relationships would be better. It’s not bulletproof, but many more would certainly have a higher chance of lasting.

Not Just Divorced Couples

Even though there was an obvious communication breakdown with couples who separate, there are countless married people out there who feel isolated and lonely inside their relationships because they’re not connecting with their partners on a deep level.

Many are just living as roommates and going through the motions on auto-pilot. They would love to have more fulfilling connections with their spouses but are stuck in a loop of interacting the way they always have.

They’re too tired or too nervous to open the can of worms that could explode if they express how they are truly feeling.

They don’t trust that they can deal with what may come up once they start the conversation.

After divorce, we want more for our love lives. We don’t want to experience disconnect and lack of intimacy like we did in our marriages.

The goal should be to start getting better and braver with communicating. Every single one of us can become better communicators with intention. It doesn’t just happen.

Past patterns and communication styles will persist unless they are challenged and actively worked on.

Open, honest, and vulnerable conversations lead to intimacy, and intimacy is the glue that holds relationships together in the long run.

Plan for Success

Sex and physical intimacy is the only thing that differentiates a friendship from a romantic relationship. A strong relationship needs both to weather the highs and lows of long-term love.

If you avoid heavy discussions because you struggle to find the right words in a relationship, set a goal to work through those barriers and become more confident in handling high-stakes conversations.

We all want to love and be loved again after our marriages end. And we deserve to set ourselves up to succeed the next time around.

Make learning how to become a better communicator a top priority and give yourself the best chance of having a strong, healthy relationship with a quality partner as you rebuild your life post-divorce.

Click here for more articles by Carol Madden

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

Discover me on social media:

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19 Truths About Divorce That Will Make You Feel Better

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

These are the words I desperately  needed to hear ten years ago

Lately, I’ve had so many things swirling around in my head that I know are so very valuable to anyone who is experiencing the end of a significant relationship. So, I’ve decided to share the truths about divorce that I’ve experienced.

Sometimes, I like to go in-depth on particular topics, but other times, I feel an impulse to get those key messages out quickly to people who I know need to feel like they are not alone in their pain and confusion.

During a recent two-week trip through the States for a coaching retreat, I met so many people who shared some of their biggest post-divorce struggles with me. I’m grateful for each and every one of them and humbled that they trusted me with their stories.

This week, I’m inspired to share some of the most valuable truths about divorce that have come to me since my divorce ten years ago and through hundreds of hours of coaching others through their divorce journeys.

I literally visualised myself ten years ago, lost, confused, scared, hopeless and desperate for someone to tell me that I was going to make it through.

If I was sitting on the end of my bed with that person now, this is what I would say.

  1. Divorce is not a failure: Redefine failure and success for yourself and what you truly believe about life. Not what society tells us. There are many married people who are quietly miserable; is this success?
  2. Emotions are valid: Allow yourself to feel anger, sadness, and confusion without judgment. There may even be times that you don’t see the point in living. It’s ok to feel this way. You are a human being going through intense grief. Every emotion is valid and will eventually pass.
  3. Self-care is essential: Prioritize your well-being throughout the process. Nothing is more important than how you care for yourself during a divorce. It’s even more important than the kids because you can’t look after them properly if you’re not looking after yourself first.
  4. Support is crucial: Lean on friends, family, or a coach who can provide emotional support. The best support is paid for. I found that my family and friends had limited time or expertise to help me when I was truly on my knees and going through a particularly bad trigger.
  5. Every divorce is unique: You can’t compare your healing and recovery to anyone else. I remember seeing a woman at work who seemed completely over the moon to be out of her marriage. Meanwhile, I could barely get through the day. This made me feel like more of a failure.
  6. Don’t underestimate patience: Healing and rebuilding take time. It’s not something that can be rushed. It’s also not linear. You can go back and forth between feeling strong and feeling devastated again in the space of a few days or weeks.
  7. Communication is vital: Open and honest conversations with your ex-spouse and your kids (depending on their ages) will lead to better outcomes. Take this opportunity to become a better communicator. If it’s not something you’re good at, reach out to a coach to help.
  8. Focus on the future: What you want in your post-divorce life matters. You are the creator of what happens to you now. What do you want? What is your vision? Get intentional, and don’t leave things to chance.
  9. Children need reassurance: Your kids need to see that you are consistently there for them in every way. If your co-parent is on board with this, awesome! If they’re not, focus on you and what you can do. Be the best parent you can possibly be for your kids, and never let them doubt that they have one hundred percent of your love and support.
  10. Financial planning is essential: Establish a stable financial foundation for yourself. If this is not your area of expertise, get some professional help. If you can’t afford it right now, hit up Uncle Google and find out what you need to know. There is no end of financial advice online for divorced people. Be proactive!
  11. Meditation and mindfulness can help: When the emotional chaos starts to overtake you (and it will), use these practices to calm the mind and get grounded back in reality rather than the worst-case scenarios that are causing anxiety and depression.
  12. Your happiness is your responsibility: A new relationship is not going to make everything all better. It can help in some ways and add value in others, but it can’t take away the fact that you need to properly heal from the grief of your marriage ending.
  13. Forgiveness is liberating: No matter what has happened or what your ex has done to you, forgiveness is going to help you in the long run. This one can be the most challenging for some of us; a divorce coach can help you get there faster.
  14. Life can be amazing again: This chapter is a part of your story, not the whole book. Divorce is not the end; it is the beginning of something new. You may reject this idea at first, but as your life evolves, you will begin to see that your new story can be even more exciting than the one you thought you were going to have.
  15. Newfound freedom: Don’t take your freedom lightly. As great as relationships can be, they do limit much of our personal freedom. You only have yourself to think about for now. Use this precious time to figure out what lights you up, and then get out there and do it!
  16. Boundaries are crucial: Set clear boundaries to protect your emotional well-being. If your ex is shaking you to the core with every interaction, it’s time to set some new boundaries. If your new partner is manipulating you, again, boundaries! If you need help with this, talk to a coach.
  17. Learn from the experience: Find the positives. Yes, there are positives to divorce, no matter what society tells us. It’s the most fertile soil for growth that you will ever experience. Sometimes, our personal growth comes in ways we wouldn’t have chosen. Nobody said that growth was easy.
  18. Closure comes from within: Closure doesn’t come from your ex. It has to come from within you. You may think that you need the right words from your ex to make you feel like you can put a full stop to the pain. The reality is that no matter what they say or don’t say, you are the only one who can decide that it is time to let go and move on.
  19. Crazy resilience: Fewer things in life can test the limits of your endurance, as a divorce can. As you slowly but surely move towards healing and acceptance, you can apply your new courage and strength to every area of your life: work, new relationships, family. You have levelled up in ways you never thought were possible.

I hope that some of these truths about divorce are able to give you some comfort as you deal day-to-day with the reality of your own separation.

The first two years after a marriage ends are absolutely brutal. Anyone who has been through it can tell you that those two years are by far the hardest.

There are many things you can do to make it better for yourself, but often, it feels like you are stumbling through the dark without a torch, just trying to survive each day.

It doesn’t have to be that hard, though. If you want to talk to someone who can help you take control of the chaos and get on top of things again, reach out to a professional who can help you strategize on the next step you need to take to start feeling in control of your life again.

Click here to read more articles by Carol Madden

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

Discover me on social media:

Improving the Divorce Process - TDM Expert Interviews (EP. 3) - Chris Sweetman
Thumbnail for the YouTube video "Improving the Divorce Process - TDM Expert Interviews (EP. 3) - Chris Sweetman."
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Improving the Divorce Process – Thoughts from Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman
Director
Fair Result

Join us for a profound conversation with Chris Sweetman, Director at Fair Result, as we explore the urgent need for reform in the current divorce process. In this enlightening interview, Chris passionately advocates for a ground-breaking shift in the way couples approach divorce.

Discover why he believes that prioritising financial and child arrangements before initiating the divorce process can save time, money, and emotional turmoil. This innovative perspective could be the key to a smoother, more amicable divorce journey.

Read on for the full transcript of our video, “Improving the Divorce Process.”

[Music]

Hello everybody um, so today we have Chris Sweetman um, he’s here to talk to us about the, current divorce process and what his thoughts are about some amendments or some changes that can be made to our divorce process in the UK.

Um, Chris is uh with Fair Result and he’s really passionate about the welfare of children and families post-divorce and how that can be made easier, quicker and also for the families themselves, how the divorce process or what his thoughts are about the divorce process can actually make it much easier for people going through divorce compared to what the current status is.

What is the current divorce process at the moment?

So Chris maybe you can just tell us what, how, what is the divorce process at the moment?

The divorce process at the moment is basically split into three parts the actual legality of the divorce process, which is done predominantly now online, then there’s the issue resolving the financial aspects of a marriage and if there are any children involved then the third part of the divorce process is resolving any arrangements that you need to make in respect of the children. Okay.

What are your thoughts on the current divorce process compared to your proposed idea and why?

My personal views are that the, the process at the moment is actually the wrong way round. You’re allowed to start the divorce process which is the legality of ending the marriage, which takes an application of about 20 minutes online, then a waiting process of 20 weeks for a conditional order to be uh, granted by the court service and a further six weeks before the final order is granted by the court which formally ends and dissolves the marriage.

In that time parties are expected to sort out, all the financial arrangements and all the children’s arrangements but unfortunately the way the system works at the moment, in terms of being able to apply to court for a court listing where you to need that in the financial or the children’s hearings, the court system is so far behind at the moment, that it doesn’t allow the system to work within that six-month window.

My process would be actually, because of the contention and arguments that tend to happen sometimes with some divorces, it allows the process to elongate itself and my view would be that the best way to deal with divorce, finances and children, would be for those matters to be sorted out before the parties could actually apply for a divorce/ ending the marriage so that it would focus the minds of the parties themselves and the lawyers advising them that what was really wanted in the case, was actually a resolution to the problems that have led to the families needing a divorce, so focus on the issues which are causing the problems, get those sorted out and then allow the parties to get the formality of the divorce at the end.

That I think, would actually focus the minds of people on what they actually wanted so that they could get the resolution to the children’s proceedings, they could get the resolution to the finance. Rather than being stuck in a system, that’s controlled by the courts and solicitors, who sometimes don’t work at the speed that actually the families want them to work at so essentially, turn it on its head. Start with the finances, start with the children, get those resolved and then you can apply for the divorce. That would be my way of speeding up the process and providing some kind of emphasis and effort on the parties resolving the big issues.

Okay, and so um, like you say turned the process on its head and you know if this is what you want, then get this done first and then you can get the divorce and that way people just focus on what is in front of them, as opposed to I think you gave give me an example of, um, where you can have couples who are embroiled in conflict over a few hundred pounds “where is it? What did you do with it?” and this just can keep going.

This is a situation often that happens with the finances in the first instance where parties tend to get stuck on finding out and resolving what the marital pot is. And unfortunately the system is such that you have to disclose all your information and I’m completely in agreement with disclosing all your financial information, but unfortunately then the system allows lawyers to act, ask needless and repetitive questions about finances that occurred maybe 18 months ago, 12 to 18 months ago.

We’ve had one instance recently where a lawyer insisted on obtaining financial bank statements from an account that had a closing balance of 8 pence and had, had a yearly balance that didn’t move from the eight pence in it all year but because there had been a transaction outside the last year before the divorce, they wanted to see all those statements and the client had to go through the process of applying to Virgin Money to get the statements because the bank account had been closed, all of which took time and created more animosity, between the parties when both of them knew this joint account had literally no money in it, but unfortunately the system because the way lawyers work, meant that they wanted to cover every base, and ensure that they’d seen this statement and that added at least four months to the process by the time that they’d raised the questions, obtained the bank statements, and then accepted that there was nothing more behind the eight pence bank account.

Four months to the process, it added four months to the process but we haven’t even touched on how much more it costs that could have been, thousands of pounds, thousands of pounds were added to the legal bills just because, the parties wouldn’t simply confirm to their lawyer that they want, that there was 8 pence in this account, my client was telling me that’s all there was but unfortunately on the other side, we were getting a situation where they wouldn’t accept it without the, the process being disclosed fully.

That cost my clients a lot of money, a lot of time, and in reality an awful lot of hassle between these two people, and the children that were involved because the parties were arguing about finances and they couldn’t end the divorce, and they couldn’t move on. If they wanted to move on, get those finances sorted out straight away quicker, sooner, more proactively, and then allow the divorce process to go ahead.

Do you see this new proposal not working for some couples?

I’m just wondering Chris, with the new well, with the new, with what you’re proposing the changes that you’re proposing do you see that kind of “new system” not working for some couples let’s say no, I, I see that the system would work for couples because actually, the couple who wanted to get divorced, the couple who wanted to move on in life, the couple who wanted to introduce a new partner to the children, who want the divorce to be ended, would actually put pressure on their lawyers to move quicker, faster and with a more urgency on resolving the issues.

Unfortunately, the system works at the moment where there’s no incentive to move quickly in a divorce process. If the clients were in charge saying “we desperately want to get divorced” but there was a system in place that said you can’t get divorced until you’ve sorted the children and the finances out, then I’m sure that there will be more compromise, more settlement, more proactive investigation of what was needed to resolve the issues because the parties themselves would be driving it more.

Whereas at the moment, there’s a, there’s a delay in the court system, there’s a delay in the process, it’s very slow and complex. Even since the new divorce process came in, in April 22 where the idea was that there would be this six-month process, divorce and financial and children’s uh resolution are still taking in excess of 12 months in the majority of cases, and that’s not good for the parties. Make them focus on their real goals and let them, then, then let them get the formality of the divorce ended at the end of the resolution of the main issues the children and the finances.

Okay, I was I was wondering if you know if, if it’s almost like saying “okay you want to get a divorce then you need to, to finalise your finances and the children arrangement.”

What if there was abuse or addiction in the relationship?

Um, and then in my mind I was thinking but what if there was um, abuse in the relationship or there was addiction in the relationship and one parent, or one half of the couple is made to feel like oh you know what forget everything, let’s just get the you know take whatever it is that you want I just want my divorce. But then I think what you’re saying is that they’re not doing it on their own they’ll still have solicitors with them, yes, to advise them so that that’s not a case that would um, no. Yeah that’s not a scenario that would.

When there are real issues surrounding the children and the needs of the children and what they want, clearly, the focus would be on resolving the issues, because they’re still going to be legally represented, there’s a, there’s, there’s going to be a pressure from the parties to resolve it, rather than a stagnation period which doesn’t help anybody, but they would always still be assisted by whatever advisors they chose to make sure that they weren’t simply just acquiescing to something that wasn’t in the best interest of them financially, or more importantly in terms of the children.

Okay, well Chris you know at The Divorce Magazine where you’re going to appear we are very big on, you know, as amicable divorces as possible and we are very child centered um, and child focused when it comes to divorce because we just want the best for the children. Um, we’re moving into that as well actually trying to ensure that parties focus on the main issues straight away. Unfortunately, there are still some old-fashioned lawyers out there who don’t want to do that approach where the main issue is to resolve the problems rather than create some problems.

Okay, thank you so much Chris, thank you for coming and speaking with me today at The Divorce Magazine and for those who have not yet subscribed to The Divorce Magazine Channel go on to YouTube and you will find the link will be at the bottom and you can subscribe there.

Thank you so much Chris.

No problem, thank you very much I hope your listeners enjoy it.

Yes I hope so too I think they will I think you’ve made some really good points. Thank you.

[Music]

Read more articles by Chris Sweetman.

About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman is an independent family solicitor and director of Fair Result – An award-winning law office who pride themselves on using innovative ways to help clients through the stress and complications of a marriage break down.

Chris can be contacted on 07500933818 or via email chris@fair-result.co.uk.

Knowing This One Thing Helped Me Recover Faster From My Divorce
Photo by whoislimos on Unsplash.
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Knowing This One Thing Helped Me Recover Faster from My Divorce

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

I wish I’d known it so much sooner. 

When am I going to feel better?

Usually, this is the question front and centre of everyone’s mind after they have experienced a separation or divorce.

Like every part of life, ups and downs happen. The challenge we face right after a divorce is that when life throws you one of its inevitably shitty times, it’s all magnified by the pain and the fact that your marriage didn’t work out.

You’re left struggling as you’re forced to leave behind every part of what you imagined your life was going to look like when you made your marriage vows. It can skew the way you view life’s unavoidable hardships.

The uncomfortable truth is that you never really get OVER your divorce. Just like you never get OVER the death of someone you loved.

It’s essential to understand this when you’re in the first year or so of trying to recover from the shock of separation.

Divorce is grieving. Once you understand that you are going through grief, you can start to make sense of what is happening to you and develop some realistic timelines to anchor to.

How long are we talking?

I’m in the process of planning a solo trip to Yosemite National Park in the United States this coming September, and I needed to buy some hiking gear.

In December, it will be ten years since my divorce. Ten years since the night that my ex-husband and I looked across at each other in absolute shock as the realisation dawned that our marriage was over.

I’m browsing the outdoor store on my own, and in comes a gorgeous little family of four. Dad, mom, 4-year-old son, and 2-year-old daughter. Both as cute as buttons.

They point to things and ask questions in their little chipmunk voices. Their parents are guiding them and chatting with them. They are choosing the colours they like for the clothes they are being bought. They all look super happy.

I am instantly transported back to the day that my ex-husband and I took the kids to buy puffer jackets for our first family trip to the snow. We let them choose the colours they liked the most, and they were so excited about it.

I recall standing there with my ex and discussing what we were going to buy, both of us keeping an eye on the kids as we shopped. As the memories came, words flashed through my head:

  • Teamwork
  • Family
  • Companionship
  • Excitement

I felt the familiar stab of grief hit my abdomen. Just a light touch now, but still there. These days though, instead of the old strategy I used of burying it down and denying the pain, I allowed it in.

This is what I said to myself:

“Yeah, it does hurt to remember that. I miss the kids being so little. Sometimes I miss the feeling of having someone to make decisions with. That’s ok. I accept that we are not together anymore. The kids are teenagers now, and my life is changing and evolving in other fulfilling and exciting ways”.

The little stab passed pretty quickly.

After a hugely traumatic and life-altering loss like divorce, understanding grief helps you to integrate rather than deny your pain and heartache.

Integrating vs Enduring.

Integrating our loss means accepting it as part of our life journey. One of the many important pieces of the puzzle that make up the unique person you are. It’s part of your story, and your story matters.

Integrating our pain means understanding that it’s not a case of waiting for it to be over or thinking that the memories won’t make us feel sad or regretful at times.

There is a new(ish) way of viewing grief and loss in the clinical world these days. Rather than coming to an endpoint and being ‘over’ grief as we used to understand it, the new model is called ‘growing around grief’.

The grief doesn’t get smaller or go away as we may have once believed. What actually happens is that over time, and with intentional healing and recovery work, your life gets bigger and fuller around the grief.

Here is an image that portrays this concept in a visual diagram:

Visual diagram of how grief changes over time.
Credit: Author

As you move through the different stages of divorce, you will begin to notice that even as you heal and start to feel better overall, there will always be little things that remind you of times past or things you miss.

You don’t need to fear those feelings.

There was a time when those sorts of thoughts would arise, and I would almost panic. Up would come the anxiety that I’d made a huge mistake by divorcing. I’d fixate, ruminate on regrets, and want to change things that could never be changed.

What I didn’t realise back then was that I was stuck in the ‘bargaining’ part of the grief cycle. Still living in a form of denial that I could go back and change the past.

If I had known back then what I know today, I would have spoken to myself the way I did in the outdoor store.

I would’ve been able to say to myself:

‘This is called bargaining. It’s a natural and normal part of divorce and the grief cycle. It will pass’.

That would’ve lessened my anxiety, fear and pain. It wouldn’t have taken it away completely, but minimised the impact so it didn’t send me into a tailspin and cause me to think that my entire future was ruined.

The ability to understand what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling that way is critical to recovery. It helps you to absorb the shock waves when they come and calm yourself down to a more logical and rational outlook instead of being swept away in the painful emotions that wash over you.

Once grief has been integrated, you can start to imagine a life that involves joy, happiness, and optimism again. However, there can still be momentary periods when the acute grief can return.

Without knowing this, you can feel as though you haven’t made any progress or recovery. However, it’s perfectly normal and does not mean that you have gone backwards in your healing. Quite the opposite; it shows that you are healing and recovering just the way you should be.

I’m passionate about helping people understand the grief cycle as they work through their loss after divorce because I know what a huge turning point it was in my recovery.

I know that if I had understood it a lot better, my recovery time would’ve been cut short by several years.

Time is your greatest asset, and grief can keep you stuck in inertia.

Working through it is vital to regaining your energy and motivation to rebuild a new, fulfilling life and ‘grow around’ your grief.

Read more articles by Carol Madden.

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

Discover me on social media:

Is There Such a Thing as a Divorce That is Too Amicable?
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez ???????? on Unsplash.
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Is there such a thing as a divorce that is too amicable?

Carol Madden
Carol Madden
Separation and Divorce Coach
Carol Madden Coaching

Getting along with your ex comes with some surprising challenges.

Recently, a friend told me one of the saddest divorce stories I’ve ever heard.

Her colleague’s young son was on life support, and her parents couldn’t be in the hospital room with her at the same time when she had to say goodbye to him.

They still refused to be in a room together after the divorce twenty years ago.

Horror stories like this one, and many others I’d heard over the years, drove me to make an amicable divorce my absolute priority when my marriage ended. I was determined not to be one of those couples that made every family gathering awful and tense.

After years of teaching young children and dealing with divorced parents, seeing their children’s anguish, and all the awkwardness of parent interviews, I set about nurturing a relationship with my ex-husband that would allow us to return to the friends we were when we first met.

I took a very philosophical view of the situation.

No matter what had happened to us in the final years, there was a reason that we chose each other once, and I believed that we didn’t need to throw all that away because of the way we had treated each other when we were both in the excruciating pain and sorrow of separation.

From the beginning of our separation, we spent every birthday and Christmas together as a family unit. Our goal was for the kids to see that although we couldn’t be together as a couple, we could still hang out as friends and enjoy each other’s company despite what we’d been through.

This was great for the kids, and they often express to us now that they are older how grateful they are for the fact that we have always been able to continue to do things together as a family.

It goes without saying that divorce is tough on kids. The more opportunities you can give them to see you getting along and for them to have their family together at times, the better their chances of recovering quickly from the impact.

However, if you manage to have an amicable divorce, it can come with unexpected challenges.

How amicable is too amicable when there are new partners in the equation?

One of the most common challenges when maintaining a positive relationship with your ex-spouse is the jealousy and insecurity it can trigger in your new partner.

Your new love interest may worry that your connection with your ex-spouse threatens the solidity of your current relationship. They might feel insecure about your shared history or concerned that unresolved feelings still linger between you and your ex.

Moving On

My ex was the first to be in a new relationship. He started dating a woman from his work only a few weeks after I officially moved out of the family home.

Whilst this stung, I had to be realistic. Our connection had been broken for a long time, and I understood why he wanted to feel loved and special again.

His new partner did not cope well with our friendship at all. She constantly panicked that we would get back together, and my ex continually had to reassure her that this wouldn’t happen.

Once I entered a new relationship two years later, it allayed her fears a little. But now I was the one dealing with jealousy.

My new partner didn’t like that I had a good friendship with my ex-husband. He, too, was suspicious of how well we got along and took it to mean that our relationship could possibly rekindle again.

There is a misconception at times that if two people who were once together can still get along, there’s a chance they could try again.

In our case, we got along so well because we were no longer under the pressure of trying to make a relationship work.

If you’re navigating a new relationship after divorce, you may find yourself having to reassure your partner that there is no reason for them to worry.

Here are some ways to keep an amicable relationship with your ex-spouse while building a connection with someone new.

Be upfront and honest from the beginning

If you still want to spend as much time as a family after meeting someone, it pays to be honest from the beginning. It will cause more strain down the track if you try to present a different picture or omit to tell your partner how important it is to you.

I have had people I’ve dated pull out because they are uncomfortable with it. Although I was disappointed that someone I felt had potential was gone, I would prefer not to try to build a relationship with someone if they couldn’t cope with me still spending time with my ex on special occasions.

Understand and acknowledge their fears

While dealing with someone’s insecurities can be frustrating when you know deep in your heart that there’s no way you would ever go back to a relationship, it pays to try to view things from your new partner’s perspective as much as possible.

As with any form of empathy, it requires us to go deeper than the surface level and consider what fears are being triggered by your friendship with your ex.

Most insecurities stem from a fear of experiencing abandonment. Listen to your new partner carefully, and ensure they know you understand how they feel and why they may feel that way. In other words, don’t just brush it off because you feel like it’s all under control.

Be prepared to compromise

Ideally, you would have worked out your non-negotiables and desired level of time spent with your family before entering a new relationship. This is where talking to a divorce coach can be extremely helpful.

However, we don’t live in a perfectly planned out world most of the time, and you may be figuring these things out while in a new relationship.

If so, communicate with your partner about where you can compromise to help them feel more comfortable. They are an important part of the equation, and their thoughts and feelings need to be considered if you want a harmonious and fulfilling partnership.

Be realistic about the amount of work a new relationship takes

Relationships post-divorce are a whole different beast from what we’ve always known in the past. You really can’t underestimate how much more intentional effort is required.

Many more dynamics need to be taken into consideration:

  • Your children’s feelings
  • Your relationship with your ex-spouse
  • Your relationship with your current partner

Additionally, if your new partner has kids, you are now navigating your relationship with them as a step-parent while also dealing with your partner’s ex-spouse.

Phew!

That is a LOT of stakeholders. And somewhere in amongst all that, no less important, is your relationship with yourself. In fact, this one needs to be functioning at the highest level, or none of the other ones will be able to anyway.

If you know how much energy is required, you’ll be mentally prepared to tackle the inevitable discussions and negotiations needed to have a close relationship with your ex and kids, as well as nurture a connection with someone new.

Maintain boundaries

I want to mention setting and maintaining boundaries when advocating for yourself and your family time.

If you are in a healthy relationship with a mature, committed adult, you should be able to clearly communicate, negotiate, and come to a mutually beneficial situation.

If your new partner continues to get upset, demand that you explain, refuse to engage with your ex, or keep asking you to stop seeing your ex-spouse unless it’s an emergency, you may want to rethink the relationship.

I speak from experience. Even after trying to explain and compromise, my partner got more insecure as time passed and would pressure me to stop what I was doing. He would tell me it wasn’t normal and refused to join us in any family gatherings. This was five years after my divorce.

No amount of reassurance was going to be enough.

In this case, you have to make some decisions. There is no quality of life when you are in a constant push/pull of having to feel guilty when you want to spend time with your ex and children.

I know for me, it wasn’t worth it. I chose to end that relationship. I would rather be alone than with someone who can’t or won’t accept the level of closeness that I still want to have with my family.

It’s a personal decision; only you will know what balance is right for you, your family, and your new partner.

It’s important not to just wing it as you go. Take the time to sit down and reflect on how important it is to you and how you want it to look today, in a year’s time, and in the future when your kids are adults.

Takeaway

Starting a new relationship after divorce is a significant step towards personal growth and happiness. However, it’s essential to understand and prepare for the potential challenges that can arise, including jealousy and insecurity from your new partner.

By prioritising open communication, setting clear boundaries, and fostering trust, you can confidently walk the delicate line between having a fulfilling relationship with your new partner and maintaining a positive co-parenting relationship with your ex-spouse.

Read more articles by Carol Madden.

About Carol Madden

Hello, my name is Carol Madden and I am a certified divorce coach working with clients around the world from my online practice in New Zealand.

I aim to help individuals navigate the often overwhelming emotions and practical considerations of separating from a spouse. I understand the unique challenges that divorce can bring, having been through my own divorce ten years ago.

I believe that divorce can be an opportunity for growth and positive change, rather than just a painful ending. Through my coaching, I help clients gain clarity and confidence as they move forward in their lives.

As a writer, I am excited to share my perspectives on divorce with readers seeking solid support during their separations. Whether providing tips for managing the emotional rollercoaster or offering practical advice for effectively co-parenting, I want to help others through this challenging time.

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