Divorce can feel like a death because it ends not only a marriage but also the life you once knew. You may lose your partner, your connection with your children, and even your financial stability. While you cannot change the past, you can choose how to move forward. Collaborative Divorce offers a healthier, more respectful way to begin rebuilding your future and finding your new normal.
When Divorce Feels Like a Death
Many people say divorce is almost as painful as death of a loved one, and in some ways, it can feel worse. You are grieving the loss of a relationship that once defined your daily life. That loss can be twofold, losing your spouse and, in some cases, losing a close relationship with your children. Teenagers in particular can withdraw or take sides, leaving you with a painful sense of separation from both your partner and your family.
You may also face what feels like the death of your finances. When two people separate, the same income now has to support two homes, two sets of bills, and two new lives. This sudden financial pressure can add another layer of grief to an already difficult emotional experience.
Refocusing on Life After Divorce
Although divorce brings painful change, life continues. Healing begins when you stop focusing on the past and start thinking about future opportunities. Just as people talk of life in terms of before and after COVID, there is also life before and after divorce. It becomes your new normal, a chance to redefine who you are and what your life will look like moving forward.
Refocusing your attention on your goals, your emotional health, and your financial stability can help you rebuild with a clearer sense of purpose.
A Better Way to Divorce
How you go through your divorce can shape your future. Traditional Litigation often intensifies anger and prolongs emotional pain. In contrast, Collaborative Divorce and Mediation allow you to discuss issues respectfully and plan for the future with the help of a team of professionals.
In a Collaborative Divorce, each spouse has an attorney, along with a neutral financial professional and a mental health coach. These experts help you create practical solutions rather than fight over the past. The financial professional can show what your post-divorce life will look like and help you make realistic decisions. Sometimes, a spouse may also work with a financial planner or a mortgage specialist to explore future housing and loan options, including assumable VA loans that could make keeping or selling the home easier.
While Collaborative Divorce does require an upfront investment, it is often far less expensive and emotionally draining than taking a case to court. You spend your energy and your money on resolution rather than conflict.
Finding Hope in the Future
Divorce may feel like a kind of death, but it can also be the start of a new life. By focusing on your future and choosing a respectful, cooperative process to end your marriage, you can begin to heal and create a new normal built on stability and peace.
Contact Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices
If you are thinking about divorce, you deserve a process that protects your peace of mind. At Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices, we focus on Collaborative Divorce to help couples reach out-of-court solutions that reduce conflict and promote peace. Contact us today at 214-420-1800 to schedule a consultation.
Our office is located at 2911 Turtle Creek Blvd., Suite 300, Dallas, TX 75219.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is divorce really worse than death?
It can feel that way because divorce often involves losing your partner, your lifestyle, and sometimes your connection with your children, all at once.
What does “new normal” mean after divorce?
It means accepting that life has changed and focusing on what your future will look like rather than what you have lost.
How can Collaborative Divorce help?
Collaborative Divorce lets you and your spouse work with trained professionals to resolve issues respectfully, plan for finances, and protect your children’s emotional well-being.
Does Collaborative Divorce cost more than traditional divorce?
The upfront cost may be higher, but it typically saves money and emotional strain in the long run compared to drawn-out contested litigation.
Paula Lock Smyth has practiced law in Texas since 1985, focusing on Family Law, Probate, Mediation, and Collaborative Divorce. She is a trained mediator, seasoned litigator, and one of the early adopters of Collaborative Divorce in Texas. Paula is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the College of the State Bar and the Texas Bar Foundation and has served as Past President of Dallas Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers. She was a Master in the Annette Stewart Inn of Court and is a Charter Member of the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas. Her legal knowledge and decades of experience make her a trusted voice on matters that impact families across Dallas and surrounding counties.