The process of divorce can often feel lonely and may even incite a lack of identity. Whether amicable or messy, when you enter into a new chapter of your life after divorce, you may seek a fresh perspective, and will want to find ways to work on self-healing. While your attorney can offer advice, and your friends, family and therapists may offer emotional support and a “shoulder to lean on,” there is no doubt that you will need to acquire your own tools for moving forward. There are many helpful resources to explore on the topic of divorce, co-parenting, ideas of love, and self-worth. The following list of books provide comprehensive advice and skills for self-reflection, which may help you to understand how to heal before, during and after divorce:
- Something Gained: 7 Shifts to be Stronger, Smarter & Happier After Divorce by Deb Purdy
Deb Purdy acknowledges that feelings of shame, anger, and regret can haunt you after a divorce. Purdy believes that there is power in reinventing your divorce by embracing acceptance and lessons from your past marriage. This book invites the reader to learn what was gained during a marriage and divorce. Readers have reported feeling hopeful and equipped to forgive their past partner and shift their perspective on marriage and divorce.
- Conscious Uncoupling: 5 Steps to Living Happily Even After by Katherine Woodward Thomas
The idea of “uncoupling” in terms of divorce refers to parting amicably and keeping the needs of all parties, including children, in mind. Katherine Woodward Thomas encourages readers to endure in mutual respect, kindness, and deep caring rather than destructive and hurtful ways during the undoing of a marriage. The thoughtful steps that Thomas explains will allow for healthy co-parenting and a more fulfilling experience after divorce.
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
Lori Gottlieb, Los Angeles therapist, provides a compilation of her patients’ stories that offer insight on the human experience of divorce. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone explores loss, grief, betrayal, depression, and change that different walks-of-life have shared during their sessions with Gottlieb.
- The Journey from Abandonment to Healing: Turn the End of a Relationship into the Beginning of a New Life by Susan Anderson
Susan Anderson’s The Journey from Abandonment to Healing aims to help those that are suffering from feelings of abandonment, loss, and self-destructive behaviors that may have contributed or continue to contribute to the demise of a relationship. Anderson provides healing mechanisms for those dealing with grief as a result of divorce or any relationship that has come undone. Many readers finished this book feeling lighter and able to engage in healthier emotions and behaviors.
- The New Rules of Divorce: Twelve Secrets to Protecting Your Wealth, Health, and Happiness by Jacqueline Newman
Jacqueline Newman, top tier New York City divorce lawyer, lays out the foundation of what to expect and what to be aware of before, during, and after divorce from a legal and financial perspective. The New Rules of Divorce explores how to strategically endure divorce proceedings so that you can best protect yourself and be prepared for the volatile nature of divorce.
- Two Homes, One Childhood: A Parenting Plan to Last a Lifetime by Robert E. Emery
Children are often heavily impacted by divorce and separation. Two Homes, One Childhood outlines a parenting plan that will aid in a healthy childhood for your children after a divorce. Emery, a researcher, therapist, and mediator, provides an outline of children’s needs in divorce and emphasizes that after separating, your children’s needs take precedence.