For many divorcing Illinois couples, the decision to separate is not one that is taken lightly or without deep thought. However, despite the feeling that terminating a marriage is the right choice and will allow both parties to regain a sense of personal satisfaction, divorce is rarely navigated without significant emotional turmoil and strain.
According to the Huffington Post, there are certain steps that divorcing couples can take in an effort to positively recognize, manage and cope with the range of emotions each may feel as the result of their divorce. These include the following:
- Maintain a realistic perspective: Couples should do their best to remember the reason they sought a divorce in the first place. While it can be easy to get caught up in the minute details and day-to-day drama, doing so can retract from the focus of divorce proceedings. With time, the details will get ironed out. In the meanwhile, couples will benefit from maintaining a realistic perspective of the big picture.
- Practice flexibility: Divorce, while beneficial for some, also requires compromise and flexibility to reach decisions that will benefit all parties involved including children. Couples may experience a more positive transition, more satisfactory agreements and less dramatic proceedings when flexible thinking is practiced.
- Recognize emotions and their triggers: While it may be tempting for couples to suppress their emotions and try to ignore feelings of sadness, anger and anxiety, doing so can be damaging. Each person’s efforts to recognize their emotions and what triggers them, as well as analyze their reaction to certain outcomes can lead to more positive interactions based on mutual understanding and respect.
The American Psychological Association reports that of all married couples in the United States, 40 to 50 percent end in divorce.
