How to Address the Stages of Grief During Your Divorce

 Posted on October 08,2019 in Divorce

When most people think of grief, they think of losing a loved one. However, any major loss can cause a person to struggle with sadness, and divorce is certainly a traumatic event that can lead to this type of difficulty. People going through a divorce experience a wide range of emotions, and everyone processes emotions differently. However, people often progress through several stages dealing with grief, and understanding these stages can help you determine the best steps to take during the divorce process. By working with an experienced divorce attorney, you can understand your legal options and ensure that your rights are protected as you process these emotions.

Denial

This stage is most likely to occur when one spouse wants a divorce, but the other does not. A person may believe that talk of divorce is just a phase the couple is going through and that everything will soon return to normal. In some cases, denial can be a very helpful emotion, serving as a natural defense mechanism that protects a person from feeling too many emotions all at once. However, even if you believe that your marriage can be saved, you should take steps to protect your rights, including addressing issues related to property ownership or child custody during the divorce process.

Anger

If there is one emotion that is most commonly associated with divorce, it is anger. While it is common to be unhappy about the end of your marriage, anger can greatly complicate divorce proceedings. This strong emotion can lead to hostility and cause difficulty resolving divorce-related issues. By having a skilled attorney on your side during these types of disputes, you can determine which battles are worth pursuing and when it is best to let certain matters go in order to achieve a more positive resolution.

Bargaining

While a variety of legal issues will need to be negotiated during divorce, this stage of grief often involves attempts to prevent the divorce from occurring. A person may promise to change his or her behavior or ask his or her spouse to attend counseling together. While you may believe that you can repair your relationship, your attorney can also help you understand how to proceed in the eventuality that your marriage does come to an end.

Depression

Once a person understands the divorce is going to proceed, and that nothing can be done to stop it, he or she may sink into a depression. While everyone going through a divorce will likely experience some form of sadness, professional help from a psychologist or psychiatrist may be needed in cases of severe depression that interferes with a person’s daily life. Working with an attorney throughout the divorce process can help alleviate some of the concerns that may contribute to depression by ensuring that you will be prepared for success in your life after your divorce is complete.

Acceptance

The last stage of grief is acceptance. A person who reaches this stage has accepted the fact that the divorce is going to proceed, and that he or she will be able to move on to the next stage of his or her life. This acceptance allows a person to come to terms with the divorce and begin the phase of adjustment and readjustment. While accepting the facts of your divorce can help you prepare for the future, if you have had an attorney on your side throughout each stage of the grief process, you will likely have all the pieces in place to move forward and complete your divorce successfully.

Contact an Inverness Divorce Attorney

Whether you experience one or all of the stages of grief during your divorce, working with an experienced Rolling Meadows family law attorney from the beginning can help you move through the divorce process more quickly. If you are considering divorce, contact the Law Office of Nicholas W. Richardson at 847.873.6741. We will help you with every aspect of your divorce and work to make the process as easy as possible for you. Call our office today for your free consultation.

Resource:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=6000000&SeqEnd=8300000