| You probably thought your thought your life and | | | | quality of your future life. |
| your marriage were going along quite well. Yes, there | | | | 1. Give yourself permission to grieve. Going through |
| were challenges and difficulties, but you really | | | | divorce is like grieving the death of your relationship, |
| believed the good outweighed the bad. Through the | | | | your dreams and your future together. Let yourself |
| ups and downs you hung in, hoping in time that your | | | | really feel the emotional pain and move through it |
| partner would see the light and decide to treat you | | | | naturally by journaling about your feelings and crying |
| with love and respect. You hoped in time that you | | | | the tears that need to be cried. |
| would be able to live the dreams that you held | | | | 2. Hold on to your intention to heal, forgive, and |
| precious in your heart of hearts. | | | | move forward. Divorce can be very painful for a |
| Then came the ugly word DIVORCE. You were | | | | time, but having the intention to forgive and move |
| shocked! You cried. You pleaded. You begged for | | | | forward helps you to learn what you need to learn |
| another chance, but the answer was still NO. Divorce | | | | and start over in a new way, instead of being angry |
| papers were served. You were left picking up the | | | | and bitter for the rest of your life! Remember that |
| pieces of a life you thought you shared. | | | | your divorce could be the best thing that ever |
| So, now it's time to go forward. You read magazine | | | | happened to you if you choose to use it as an |
| articles, you gather books, you talk to your family | | | | opportunity for emotional healing and personal |
| and friends, you find a therapist, you join a support | | | | growth. |
| group and you buy new clothes. Through it all you | | | | 3. Create a healthy support system of true friends |
| may feel empty and alone, sometimes worthless, | | | | who support your personal growth through this |
| sometimes angry, sometimes scared of the future. | | | | experience. Who you choose as friends at this time |
| You find yourself wondering, "What does it take to | | | | could easily make the difference between staying |
| really heal?" As a psychotherapist, I deal with people | | | | stuck in the anger and pain for the rest of your life |
| every day who are going through emotional pain like | | | | or moving forward to create a whole new life for |
| yours. I'm writing these healing steps for you, | | | | yourself! If you want a positive future, choose |
| because I want you to know that the choices you | | | | friends who help you grow! |
| make in this healing process will literally determine the | | | | |