Protecting Your Family Matters Newsletter, Spring 2024 ●
Change is not only part of our life’s journey; it is the journey. Relationships, the experience of going through a divorce, and certainly our existence post-divorce are no exceptions. Even if the divorce was our choice, it can be and often is a daunting experience. That is putting it mildly. Professional therapy and counseling are options available to help us cope with hard times and emotions—a way to understand our world and ourselves better. Nevertheless, there are historical perceptions and myths that persist even to this day concerning visiting a therapist or even seeking counsel, and cultural habits can die hard.
When meeting and discussing divorce with my clients, I regularly suggest seeking counseling. Such treatment should not be disparaged. Beyond speaking to a lawyer during this process, one should have a therapist to talk with throughout the divorce. To not talk about our emotions, however negative or even harmful, is completely counterintuitive to the purpose of moving on and forward in life. Before, during, or after a divorce, professional counseling is helpful. If we cannot move forward, we will be forever haunted by our own emotions. But if we can rise above the emotional pain, we can also rise above any cultural stigma standing in our way.