After years of marriage, it’s easy to lose sight of who you were when you were on your own. Because you are so used to being half of a couple, it’s perfectly normal to feel incomplete during divorce. You will start to feel “normal” again, but it will be a new normal – and it will take time.
What Experts Say about Healing after Divorce
Social worker Susan Pease Gadoua says that everyone’s recovery period is different. “How long it takes to ‘recover’ from a divorce depends on a number of factors,” she says. “I liken the undoing of a marriage to trying to disentangle two trees that have grown next to each other for years. The more intertwined the root systems are, the longer it will take for the trees to go their separate ways.”
Healing after Divorce, One Day at a Time
You don’t have to wait until your Mississauga divorce lawyer has handed you a certificate of divorce to begin the healing process, but you don’t have to rush things, either. You deserve time to grieve the loss of your marriage.
One of the most important factors in your healing process may be to get things off your chest. Talking to someone who cares about you and what you’re going through can lighten your load; whether it’s a psychologist, a close friend or a trusted family member, it’s often very helpful to tell someone what you’re dealing with.
You also have to understand that it’s okay to have feelings – no matter what they are. If you’re angry, hurt or scared, you’re perfectly normal. Most people feel all of those things (and many more) during divorce. Dealing with child custody agreements, living on your own and all of the other challenges of divorce are very stressful, and the emotions you’re experiencing are all valid.
There is no set timeframe for recovery after a divorce. Let yourself heal at your own pace, and take one day at a time; you’ll be glad you did.
