While working with dying patients, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross discovered that there are five stages of grief. Her groundbreaking book On Death and Dying revolutionized the way that healthcare professionals dealt with the terminally ill. Researchers have now come to understand that those who go through a divorce also pass through similar stages of grief as they come to terms with the death of a significant relationship. It is this grief that can make the dissolving of a marriage so difficult, so contentious, and so stressful. Because this grief is very real, an experienced and resourceful attorney can be an invaluable aid for those in Austin who are contemplating or experiencing a divorce. When faced with a significant and permanent loss, such as death or divorce, most people move through five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
When divorce is looming, denial is usually short-lived, but it is that refusal to accept the impending reality that many spouses, especially the one who did not initiate the divorce, use as a defense mechanism against the emotional upheaval that is soon to follow. Denial is usually quickly followed by anger and many parties to a divorce stay stuck in this stage for quite sometime. In this stage, you will want an attorney who can aggressively pursue your best interests while at the same time enabling you to remain as objective as possible and advise you not to do something in anger that will be regretted later.
When an attorney can move a client to the bargaining phase, real negotiations with regard to the divorce settlement can begin to happen. Usually the bargaining stage is understood as someone being willing to offer anything in order to avoid the divorce, but the willingness to bargain or negotiate can be utilized by an experienced attorney to move the couple towards agreement on the terms of the divorce.
It is not uncommon for parties to a divorce to go through an extended period of depression in which everything seems hopeless. Again, a good attorney will help you to refrain from making any offers or agreeing to any settlements out of a sense of depression or desperation. Your attorney will have the experience to know that though your grief is very real, it will not last forever, nor is it what will define your post divorce life.
The final stage in Kübler-Ross’ schema is acceptance. Acceptance signifies coming to terms with the divorce and preparing to move on with your life. Again, your attorney will aggressively pursue what is best for you so that, after everything is finalized by the Austin courts, you will be equipped for your future. If divorce is a part of your current reality, contact an attorney who can steer you through the various stages of grief that you will undoubtedly experience and while successfully pursing a settlement or court order that is best for you.
Divorce Attorney Austin – Nunis & Associates provides a team of legal professionals who focus on the needs of each of our clients to help guide them through the complex legal system to achieve the clients’ goals. Whether handling family law cases such as divorce, civil litigation regarding breach of contract, consumer cases or fraud, Nunis & Associates can provide you with an attorney in the Austin area who will offer aggressive, professional representation. Call us at or contact us via the web at.
