What Can a Divorce Therapist Do For You
Divorce is an emotionally taxing process. Working through all of the legal and financial issues while trying to find a new living situation, not to mention accounting for shared children and their feelings, can leave you without any time to work on your own mental health. Our seasoned and compassionate New Jersey family law and divorce attorneys highly recommend that divorcing parties seek professional help from a qualified divorce therapist when needed. Below, we discuss some of the ways in which therapy can help you during and after your divorce.
Pre-Divorce Counseling
A divorce counselor can help you and your former partner before a divorce is finalized. A counselor can work with both parties and help them figure out how to effectively communicate and behave civilly during the divorce process. An amicable divorce is likely to be smoother, faster, easier, cheaper, and less of an emotional burden on everyone involved–including any shared children.
Helping You Grieve
Divorce involves loss. When you divorce, you may feel like you are losing more than just a spouse. You may grieve the loss of your way of life, of stability, and of a person who was likely a close friend in addition to a romantic partner. Divorce therapists understand the complicated feelings involved in a divorce, including grief, guilt, residual feelings of attraction, as well as relief. A divorce therapist can help you understand and work through those feelings in a healthy way so that they do not prevent you from moving on with your life after divorce.
Work on Self-Esteem
Divorce can be a big blow to the ego. Divorcing parties often feel undesirable and worry about their own faults that may or may not have contributed to the divorce. The truth is: divorce can happen for any number of reasons that have nothing to do with physical appearance, financial standing, or other traditional (and flawed) measures of self-worth. Your divorce therapist will help you understand your own value and separate the fact of the divorce and your relationship with your ex from your personal self-worth and self-esteem. Growing back your confidence is an extremely helpful step in carrying on with a successful life after separation.
Overcoming Mental Health Issues Following Divorce
Divorce is heavy. Divorced parties are likely to experience a variety of mental health issues for months or years after the divorce is finalized, especially if they were married for a number of years. An experienced divorce counselor can help you work through issues such as:
- Problems falling asleep or staying asleep
- Chronic depression or anxiety
- Difficulty performing at work
- Excessive use of drugs or alcohol
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain
- Social isolation and social anxiety
- Feeling unworthy of love or happiness
- Suicidal ideation
- Disinterest in hobbies and other daily activities
After a divorce, people should keep track of their emotional health in order to determine if they need a divorce therapist. If you are experiencing any of the above after your divorce, we strongly recommend you speak with a qualified divorce therapist.
Compassionate Advice and Representation from Dedicated New Jersey Family Lawyers
If you need effective legal help with child custody, divorce, child support, alimony, or other family law matters in New Jersey, contact the Union offices of family law attorney John B. D’Alessandro at 908-964-0102.