Tips for dealing with divorce
It’s something no one ever really plans for - divorce.
As a challenging life event that’s emotionally and physically draining, it’s important to seek support and guidance during divorce proceedings and not to go it alone. At Wilkinson Woodward, we want to ensure you’re informed and confident about the whole process, so, even if you’re not our client, we’ve prepared some advice on how to navigate this difficult time.
Understanding divorce
At its core, divorce is about separating people who no longer want to be together. It has several financial and legal implications, but also can have deeper implications for your children.
If you and your spouse have been residents in England or Wales for more than a year, and you decide your marriage is over, you may process your divorce or dissolution through our court system. Here is how it works, generally:
- Usually, one of you makes the application, but you can chose to do a joint application.
- Gather the information you’ll need, including contact details and information about your marriage.
- Fill in the application and decide how your partner will be served, by email or post
- Wait for your partner to respond.
- After what is known as the “cooling off” period, request a conditional order.
- Aim to finalise any child and financial arrangements.
- Get a final order to complete the divorce or dissolution.
Tips to get through a divorce
While the steps above sound very straightforward, there are layers of stress and anxiety at each stage that make the process more difficult. First, it’s important to acknowledge the emotional toll of divorce and decide what strategies you’ll put in place to cope with stress and uncertainty. We recommend seeking professional support and advice as divorce is one of the harder things you will go through in life. Don’t be afraid to ask your GP to refer you to services that could offer free or reduced rates to people going through divorce.
Get good legal advice
If you have any assets to divide or childcare arrangements to make, we recommend you get legal representation during a divorce, at an early stage. Solicitors like the team here at Wilkinson Woodward will guide you during the negotiation and mediation processes from the initial application to your final order. You could also seek information from organisations like Citizen’s Advice.
Be respectful
You are more likely to get through the process quicker and more cost effectively if you are reasonable and patient with each other. Practise maintaining open and respectful communication with your ex-partner and remember that, according to Harbour, “Amicable separations can provide more stability and consistency for children, and reassure them about their new normal. It also means they are less likely to be put at the heart of court proceedings which they may find upsetting.” So, dealing with your divorce as amicably as possible is what’s best for everyone involved, particularly children who will already be upset and confused by their parents breaking up.
Talk to people
While mediation is a great tool for resolving disputes amicably and you could also seek support about strategies for effective conflict resolution during divorce, friends and family are a source of strength too. BirkettLong explains, “Separating from a partner is difficult and is often likened to a bereavement. Don’t deal with it alone – talk to friends and family (although not your children) who can help you process your emotions and who can help calm you down if you are feeling anxious or upset.”
Wilkinson Woodward’s Family Law team, deals with all aspects of family law, including divorce, children, cohabitation, and domestic violence, and has a fantastic reputation across not only Halifax, Huddersfield and Brighouse, but throughout Yorkshire and beyond.