Getting divorced is a major life event, and it often poses numerous financial, practical, and emotional difficulties. Hiring a skilled family law attorney is essential to reaching a good outcome, but you might benefit from some additional, non-legal support as well.
Attending to your mental/emotional health, your physical health and financial health are especially important when going through something as difficult as a divorce. In fact, hiring professionals to help with these matters will positively impact your overall wellbeing and could even impact the divorce process and outcome.
Seeking emotional support when you need it most
You are losing or letting go of someone you thought you’d be with forever. You may be feeling grief, anger, betrayal, loneliness, or isolation. There is, unfortunately, no way to avoid these feelings or to get over them quickly.
The most efficient and healthy way to process them is with the help of a trained mental health professional. There are many therapists and counselors who specialize in working through difficult life events like divorce. If you don’t already have a therapist, you might consider researching someone in your area with a professional focus on divorce or grief and loss.
Why it matters: Mental health is very important in its own right, but it will also likely have an impact on the legal aspects of your divorce. You are being asked to make critical decisions about finances, children, and other aspects of your life while your mind is clouded with grief, anger and loneliness. Plus, these feelings can also negatively impact your sleep and appetite, further impairing your decision-making abilities. By seeking a mental health professional’s help, you will likely be in a better position to make smart choices and to negotiate effectively, when necessary.
Tending to your mental health is just one aspect of coping with your divorce. Please check back as we continue this discussion in our next post, where we’ll address physical and financial health.