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The Divorce Grieving Process - An Overview
submitted by MsLonely
Several years ago Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross wrote extensively about the Stages of Grief one goes through when mourning the death of a loved one. They are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Divorcing spouses both the leaver and the left will go through the same stages of grief in mourning the death of their marriage. Being aware of them can be reassuring, and help you view your emotional healing as being part of a normal, human process. Read on to learn more about the stages of grief you may encounter.
The Leaver and the Left will both go through the grieving, but they go through the stages at different times. And it's perfectly normal to bounce back and forth from one stage to another and back, sometimes bringing some of the others phases along for the ride.
You don't have to go through this process alone. A qualified psychotherapist or counselor can help you move through the stages past the anger and guilt, and will try to keep you from getting stuck along the way. (Professional counseling can be especially helpful in the denial and anger stages for some.) Loving friends and family support are also invaluable.