The Stages of Grief During Divorce

When going through a divorce, your emotions can feel like a never-ending grief rollercoaster and the ups and downs of this emotional journey can be hard to understand.  What you may not know is the grieving process during a divorce is like the grief experienced when someone passes away. 

Here are the five stages of grief our mental health therapists often see with our clients who are in the process of a marital dissolution:

  • Denial
    • This can include feelings of shock, numbness, and a refusal to acknowledge the loss of the marriage. 
  • Anger
    • After the shock wears off, you can feel huge amounts of pain, hurt and fear.  Anger is a way of distracting yourself from these emotions.  It’s important to not take this anger out on your ex-spouse or children.
  • Bargaining
    • Feelings of doubt, insecurities and regret often occur during this phase.  It also can be an attempt to gain some control over what feels like an out-of-control situation.
  • Depression
    • This stage can be the most challenging because it’s when reality sets in and the pain from the loss of the marriage can feel unbearable.  It’s also a very important stage and necessary to get through to start the healing process.   
  • Acceptance
    • When you get to this phase, peace and healing can really begin with the acceptance of your divorce and the readiness to move on.

When you utilize the mediation or collaborative divorce process, you can work with a mental health professional who will help guide you along your grief journey and help you deal with emotions that divorce brings to the surface.

Grief from divorce can last a lifetime if it is not acknowledged, embraced and dealt with appropriately. Let our team of mental health professionals work with you to explore all of your feelings of grief and help you work through each of these stages.

At Peace Talks, our team of attorneys, divorce mediators and mental health professionals craft a settlement that works for you and your family while keeping you in ultimate control over your future.

Could divorce mediation work for you? Today, contact us to schedule a free mediation orientation (310) 301-2100.

Note: This information is general in nature and should not be construed as legal/financial/tax advice. You should work with your attorney, financial, or tax professional to determine what will work best for your situation.

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