Feeling Stress and Anxiety after the Breakdown of Your Relationship?
When a relationship ends, whether it is a marriage or an interdependent adult partnership (commonly called “common law”), it is often a confusing, frightening, depressing and frustrating time. Feeling overwhelmed and a loss of control is normal. However, there are things that you can do to help reduce your stress and anxiety. Here are 6 tips that should help you with that:
1. Get counselling.
If you think you are in emotional distress, consider seeing a counselor or therapist. Even a few sessions can help bring you back to the more normal you.
2. Book a consultation with a lawyer.
A consultation with a lawyer will help you get a better understanding of the various legal issues you will need to address. A legal consultation will also help dispel the legal “myths” from fact. Seeking the advice from a lawyer is the best course of action to ensuring you receive protection for your family and the support and assets you’re entitled to.
Myself and other Stringam lawyers take a very personal and compassionate approach when it comes to divorce and family law consults. My legal assistant schedules initial consultations for one hour, so I can gain a thorough understanding of the breakdown of your relationship. I will then determine the most appropriate next steps in your case, as well as any associated costs and retainers that you will need to pay in advance of any services I may do for you after the consult.
To book a consult, call our Medicine Hat office at 403-488-8200 or fill out a consultation form at www.stringam.ca/divorce-advice.
3. Be careful using social media.
Angrily striking out against your partner on Facebook may make you feel good in the short term, but those comments can come back to haunt you. Courts are frequently accepting posts from Facebook and other forms of social media as evidence.
4. If you and your partner are on good speaking terms, try and reach agreement on how the ongoing bills are going to be paid until you can resolve your various issues.
Bill collectors don’t care if you are separated and your relationship has ended. Ideally, have your agreement confirmed by email or text message.
5. Keep any discussions or disagreements away from the children.
Children hear everything. When a family breaks up, it is emotionally difficult on everyone especially children. Make sure to keep any discussions or disagreements away from the children. Remember, they will still be looking to you and your partner to help them get through the new family arrangement that is coming.
6. Other practical things you can do include:
- If you and your partner only have a joint account, open a new account in your name.
- Take date stamped photos of important pieces of property like the house, cars, recreational vehicles and so forth.
- Locate or get all of your tax information for at least the past 3 years and , if possible, make copies only of your partner’s tax information.
- Know your debts. Not just the ones in your name, but those in both you and your partner’s name (like the mortgage) and debts only in your partner’s name.
- If you and your partner use email or text messaging, be sure to save them in case they contain useful information.