Divorce is an emotional time. If you or your spouse are experiencing anger throughout the process, that is normal and expected. However, there is a definite line between anger that doesn’t hinder the process and unproductive anger.
If you feel like your spouse’s anger is affecting your ability to navigate the divorce proceedings, you may wonder how you can work to diffuse the situation.
Keep reading for some of our best tips for easing anger during a divorce. And make sure to ask for help if you ever find yourself facing anger that turns into abuse.
1. Hire an Attorney
If you haven’t yet, the first and best thing you can do is hire a qualified attorney. Someone who has vast experience in the field of family law can offer you guidance and advice for navigating an angry situation. Even if you feel as though your circumstances are unique, an attorney will likely be able to help in some way.
A lawyer can help in a myriad of ways. To begin with, they can help you create a plan for notifying your spouse of your intent to start the divorce proceedings. If you can do that in a non-explosive way, the rest of the divorce process is likely to go smoother as a result.
2. Avoid Conflict When Possible
Even if you are the cooler-head spouse, it can be difficult to stop yourself from rising to the occasion when provoked. But remember, doing so will only hurt yourself and everyone involved. Whenever possible, you should avoid petty or unproductive arguments. Walk away if you or your former spouse’s voices or emotions begin to rise.
If a smooth divorce is your goal, you must be willing to make small but productive choices every day. Avoid conflict by keeping an eye on your end goal.
3. Take the High Road
If the events preceding your divorce have left you in an angry or bitter place, you must be especially careful not to add fuel to the fire. It can be extremely tempting to allow petty or dirty tactics to slip into this process. But we strongly recommend that you take the high road by avoiding any of the following actions:
- Fabricating facts
- Faking abuse
- Hiding money
- Refusing to share custody of a child
- Name-calling or otherwise humiliating your spouse
If you take the high road, you’ll find that the entire process goes much smoother and faster than it otherwise would.
4. Listen to Their Side of the Story
Listening to the other person and hearing their side of the story can be extremely difficult during an angry divorce. But it helps to be empathetic, even if just to a small degree. If there are kids involved, being empathetic is especially important as you try to present a united front and make decisions that work for everyone involved.
Remember that life will be very different for your family after a divorce. The more peaceful you can keep the process, the more settled and comfortable everyone will feel once it’s over.
Understanding When It’s Time to Ask for Help
Of course, you want to be a force for good during your divorce. But if your spouse’s behavior is drifting into abusive tactics, you should not tolerate it. If you are worried that even your best efforts will do nothing to curb the anger of your spouse, let us know.
At Cohen Family Law, we have vast experience in family law in Phoenix, AZ. We can help you navigate a difficult and emotional divorce. Get in touch with us today.
