Getting a divorce is one of the most heart-wrenching, stressful events you'll ever go through. Divorce counseling can help you approach this process in a clear-headed manner, which can be beneficial as you work towards negotiating a settlement.
Divorce counseling can also help you adjust to numerous life changes you may experience, such as a new budget, a new parenting schedule, and a new living situation. It may help you avoid common pitfalls during and after the divorce process, and help empower you to build a new life.
What to Expect From Divorce Counseling
First, you'll have a judgement-free place to talk about your thoughts and feelings as you navigate the divorce. You'll get an objective, third-party perspective. This helps you keep a cool head, calm your anxiety, and feel better about what's happening.
Second, if you have children, you can learn skills that will help you be an effective co-parent. When kids are involved, there's no getting away from the other parent entirely. Communication has already broken down in the past. You'll need some way of adapting to the situation, and counseling is also an opportunity to learn parenting skills that can help you become a highly competent single parent.
Even if you don't have kids, counseling can help you work through all of your thoughts and feelings regarding the ending of the marriage, learn from this experience, and be more careful about partner selection if and when you decide to date again. If relevant, it can also teach you how to advocate for what you want from the divorce negotiations without allowing the discussions to devolve into a bitter war.
Pre-Divorce Therapy
This is a form of couples counseling that may help you and your partner decide if it's time to dissolve the marriage. You may come out of pre-divorce therapy with a new commitment to saving the relationship. Or, you may end up agreeing that it's time to part ways, but may do so more amicably because counseling has led the two of you to a mutual decision.
Engaging in pre-divorce therapy can save you a lot of time and money. If it prevents divorce, you walk away from all those legal fees. If it doesn't, the respectful environment fostered in counseling can help you reach a fair settlement more quickly.
Post-Divorce Therapy
Post-divorce therapy is a type of individual therapy for people who are already proceeding with divorce or will be starting the divorce process soon. You may choose to continue post-divorce counseling after your divorce is finalized as you attempt to acclimate to your new normal.
You may tackle subjects such as parenting, dating, and making adjustments in your financial life. Post-divorce, many individuals also change careers, lose and make new friends, and move to a different neighborhood. These changes can be extremely stressful and difficult, so you don't have to navigate them alone.
Feel free to contact me if you'd like to schedule a 15-minute phone consultation at no charge to discuss your goals for counseling and how I can help in that situation.
