Recovering from a divorce is often difficult. In fact, it may even be one of the hardest parts of your life. The good news is that there are many ways to make recovery easier, especially when it comes to finances, your mental health, and the wellbeing of your family. A great place to start is by actively seeking services and benefits that may be available to you.
Here are some of the best examples of services that your community may provide or may be available for private clients that can help you in the aftermath of a divorce.
Family counseling
Going through a divorce is not only difficult for couples, but it can affect the welfare of the children as well. Family counseling may be available to you either through private counseling services or community services. You should seek this type of service as soon as the divorce is settled or even before its finalization. This way, you and your children can heal from the negative emotions that come with divorce, which might not be easy to recover from without professional help.
Divorce counseling or individual therapy
You may also seek individual counseling especially designed to help new divorcees. Getting help from a mental health professional can make it easier to get back on your feet after such a stressful event. And the sooner you heal, the sooner you can go back to a normal life with your family.
If you suspect that you are dealing with depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness, it’s best to consult with a psychiatrist to see what kind of treatment is available. Depending on the severity of your mental illness, you may have to go to therapy regularly and/or take medication as part of your treatment plan. Many new divorcees mistake mental illness for regular grieving after a divorce, leading to a worse state of mental health for the long term. If the negative emotions constantly overwhelm you or aren’t going away no matter what you do, seek treatment right away.
Financial advice
A divorce can make a huge impact on your finances. Lawyer fees, settlements, and other additional costs that come with a divorce can be hefty, plus the daily expenses that you still have to pay for. For this reason, a lot of divorcees find it difficult to get back their bearings after a divorce, especially if they depended on their former spouse financially.
If you are having trouble getting your finances in order after the divorce, consider getting help from a financial advisor. Some communities offer financial services for free to their members, so be sure to check with your local community centers if there are such services available to you. Otherwise, find a reputable financial advisor that can help you figure out what to do with your finances moving forward, ideally one with a lot of experience helping newly divorced individuals.
Career services
Another major setback that you may encounter after a divorce is suddenly having your household income halved, that is if both you and your former spouse worked. In this case, getting financial advice can help you make a new budget after a divorce considering that the household will have to make do with only your income and whatever support your former spouse is mandated to provide.
However, if you did not have a job before the divorce, you should seek career services that can help you figure out your career goals and, most importantly, find an actual job. If you have been out of employment for quite some time, getting advice from a career counselor is a great first step to re-entering the workforce. They can also help you update your resume and find jobs that are most applicable to your qualifications.
Housekeeping
While recovering from a divorce, it can be difficult to keep up with housework on top of a thousand other responsibilities on your plate. That said, you may want to consider hiring someone to help with the household chores for the time being. Alternatively, you can ask your friends and family for help during this difficult time. They will most likely be willing to lend you a hand.
Asking for help is one of the biggest challenges for anyone going through a tough time, especially those newly divorced. Whether you are having trouble recovering or not, it’s always a great idea to seek services that can help improve your everyday life after divorcing your spouse.