What is Psychotherapy for Divorce?
Psychotherapy for divorce is a type of therapy or counseling for married couples who need help dealing with the tough situations associated with a divorce. The therapy helps to work through conflicts related to child custody, child-rearing, financial challenges, legal issues, and other topics that many couples go through during and after a divorce. In general, the objective of psychotherapy for divorce is to offer constructive insights to reduce stress and anxiety and to prepare you for the prospect of becoming a single parent. Psychotherapy teaches coping skills and makes an individual feel encouraged and empowered during what is often a very difficult time.
Why Choose Psychotherapy for Divorce?
Divorce can be a traumatic experience for both partners as it is physically, mentally, and financially demanding. An individual facing divorce may feel anxiety, fear, guilt, grief, and depression. To deal with these, a person may choose to begin psychotherapy, which can address the following:
- Feelings of disconnection
- Feelings of insecurity
- Violence, abuse, or an affair/betrayal
- Lack of trust
- Financial challenges
- Recurring conflicts
- Family issues
- Intimacy
- Challenges related to parenting
Divorce counseling can also help with the following:
- Going through different stages of the divorce
- Personal growth and development
- Building reliability between couples
- Coping with the situation and its after-effects
- Improving social and communication skills
- Making better decisions and judgments regarding family dynamics
- Making a smoother transition into the next stage of your life
Mediation For Divorce
Mediation can be an effective alternative to discussing divorce in court, as the legal route can be an expensive and exhausting process. Some courts even mandate mediation for couples who are contemplating divorce. In mediation, couples can discuss alimony, asset division, custody, and other issues. The mediator can also help couples reach a mutual agreement on various conflicting matters and arrive at a legally binding settlement that satisfies both parties.
Types of Psychotherapy for Divorce
Common types of psychotherapy for divorce include:
- Individual therapy: Divorce can lead to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other conditions. Individual therapy teaches skills to handle difficult situations, make healthy decisions, and increase positive feelings. The therapy also inspires change and fosters an improved quality of life. In this therapy, individuals have a one-on-one interaction with their therapist to navigate difficult feelings and make sense of the divorce, helping them to gain a new perspective and deeper knowledge of themselves.
- Couples therapy: This therapy helps to facilitate a constructive and healthy divorce. Divorce therapists can act as a kind of mediator. They can establish a framework to make sure that the divorce proceeds with minimal negative effects. Couples therapy also addresses issues such as parenting, financial obligations, and living arrangements.
- Family therapy: Divorce can greatly impact children in a divorce. During the divorce, couples are often consumed with their feelings and may unknowingly ignore the emotional state of their children. This can lead children to feel abandoned, confused, or guilty. Children may not know which parent to be loyal to. Family therapy helps all the family members to share their feelings about the divorce. Counseling children will help them to adjust to the changes and prepare them for this difficult transition.
Benefits of Psychotherapy for Divorce
Psychotherapy for divorce can help you achieve the following:
- Learn the necessary skills to deal with adversity in a healthy way
- Improve interpersonal skills to deal with your ex-spouse
- Decide what you need and want from a future relationship
- Remove negative thoughts and dysfunctional behavior
- Resolve personal issues and conflicts
- Discover how best to support and help your children
- Obtain a deeper understanding of the dynamics that resulted in the divorce
- Feel supported and reassured as you encounter new challenges
- Make plans and begin a new chapter with confidence
