What Are the Emotional Stages of Divorce?

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What Are the Emotional Stages of Divorce?

The Five Stages of Divorce

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a pioneer in the hospice movement, first described the stages of grieving about and recovering from a major trauma such as death or divorce:

  • Denial: “This is not happening to me. It’s all a misunderstanding. It’s just a midlife crisis. We can work it out.”
  • Anger and Resentment: “How can he [she] do this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? This is not fair!”
  • Bargaining: “If you’ll stay, I’ll change” or “If I agree to do it [money, childbearing, sex, whatever] your way, can we get back together?”
  • Depression: “This is really happening, I can’t do anything about it, and I don’t think I can bear it.”
  • Acceptance: “Okay, this is how it is, and I’d rather accept it and move on than wallow in the past.”

Understanding these stages can be very helpful when it comes to talking about divorce and decision making. It is important to know that when you are in the early stages of this grief and recovery process. It can be challenging to think clearly or to make decisions at all, much less to make them well. Identifying your present stage of grief and being aware of it is an important step toward ensuring that you will make the best choices you can. The divorce attorneys in our Scottsdale office will provide you both with sound legal advice and deep empathy for what you’re going through, while making these decisions.

Contact us today to schedule your initial case review. We’re here to help!