By Jamie C. Williamson, PhD Divorce should not be entered into lightly, especially if you are a parent. Marriages may dissolve. But co-parenting is truly a “to death do us part” commitment. Parents must choose (and it is a choice) whether they will have a friendly divorce or an acrimonious one. The decision
Contemplating Divorce
Is A “Friendly” Divorce Without Lawyers Right for You?
A divorce without lawyers could be right for you if you want to remain friendly and avoid a long, expensive court battle as create agreements that serve your unique situation and goals.
Protect Your Marriage: Eliminate These 4 Toxic Interactions
By Jamie C Williamson, PhD I’ve been working with couples who resolved to make one final effort to restore the happiness in their marriage. They sincerely want to try, but also don’t want to prolong the pain or keep rehashing the same tired arguments. So, they begin by asking “How do we know if it
Four Warning Signs on the Road to Divorce
by Jamie C. Williamson, PhD There are four signs that signal a progressive, downward relationship spiral leading to divorce. But, you can learn to recognize these cautionary signals and take a detour that will put you back on the path to a long, satisfying marriage. Which couple are you? This week I met two young
Resolving to Be Happy Might Require Courage to Divorce
by Jamie C. Williamson, PhD Many people started out the New Year thinking about getting a divorce, even if they didn’t realize it at first. People rarely include “get a divorce” on their list of resolutions. Instead, divorce becomes the unhappy (but necessary) by-product of resolutions like “This is the year I’m going to have
Beware the Calm Before the Stormy 7 Stages of Divorce
by Jamie C. Williamson, PhD Divorcing couples do move through predictable and understandable stages of divorce, each associated with different practical concerns, emotions, and typical behavior patterns. But, divorce initiation often begins with a seemingly calm, barely detectable phase. You have to pay close attention or it will catch you by surprise. Most explanations
4 Ways to Get Divorced. Is Pre-suit Pro Se Right for You?
by Jamie C. Williamson, PhD If you have decided that getting a divorce is the best (and maybe only) option that will promote your future emotional and psychological well-being, and that of your spouse and children, your next step is to determine which of the four paths to a legal divorce is right for you and
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part 3 – How Unhappy Do I Have to Be to Justify Divorce?
By Jamie C. Williamson, PhD One of the main reasons people in contemporary western culture get stuck in what I call the Contemplative Phase of divorce is that the purpose of marriage itself has evolved over the last few decades, leaving people confused about what they value most from what should be the most valuable
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part 2 – Determine Your Marriage’s Love Style
By Jamie C. Williamson, PhD Marriages have Love Styles. Some lead to fulfilling happy marriages. Some lead to distress and divorce. To understand these Marriage Love Styles, you have to first understand that love is an action word, not an emotion. You and your spouse create patterns of action and inaction that constitute the character
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part 1 – Using a Love Triangle to Assess Your Relationship
By Jamie C. Williamson, PhD The most frequently asked question for me these days is “How do I know whether I should get divorced, or keep trying?” Sadly, many married people remain in this ambivalent “Should I Stay or Should I go” state for years. During this time — which I call the Contemplative Phase
