Ask The Divorce Coach: Is The Ex-Wife Too Close For Comfort?

Question: I am a widow with no children. I have been dating a man for over a year now who has two children (14 and 18). We are in a committed relationship. He has been divorced for 5 years. He and his ex wife continue to get together for holidays, birthdays, family reunions, special occasions [...]

Ask The Divorce Coach: Should Dad Have Visitation For Easter?

Submitted by: Cathy Meyer Question: I am divorced and my ex-husband and I have a daughter. I have been remarried for 3 years. My husband is also divorced but without any children of his own. When divorce papers were drawn it stated that I have full custody with my ex having once a month weekend [...]

The Crazy Making Ex: Sharing In-Laws With an Outlaw

Submitted by: Cathy My first real exposure to my in-laws came when they flew to Germany to visit. It was to be a short, two week visit but turned into the month of emotional upheavals and passive aggressive venom. The kind of venom that covertly determines the way problems are dealt with and conflict is [...]

Conflict Resolution and Managing Family Stress

Submitted by: Shirley Cress Dudley The following is information about managing family stress. It’s from Debbie Lorence, University of Louisville’s Kentucky Autism Training Center, who gave a handout that I thought may help: Magical thinking and conflict resolution: I will try not to avoid conflict altogether: Instead, I will try to not let the little [...]

Divorce’s Collateral Damage: Loss of Extended Family & Friends

Submitted by Deborah Moskovitch  “I need to stand by my brother; we can’t be friends any more.” This is a moment Ashley had with her friend—and soon to be ex-sister-in-law. A bond nourished for over 23 years was broken. There were tears and hugs, but the closure was hard to accept. Why does divorce lead [...]

Ask The Divorce Coach: Wanting to write a letter to the in-laws

Question: Dear Shelley, I feel a great need and desire to write a letter to my ex’s family. We were married for 27 years and they were my family for longer than that.  My ex-husband had an affair and left my 16-year-old son and I. We have both remarried but my ex has no relationship [...]

Divorce: Respecting The Intergenerational Boundary

Submitted by: Mark Banschick M.D. There is a boundary between generations which is called the Intergenerational Boundary. This is a fundamental truism that I operate on when I see a family. Parents need to know what to share with their children and what they should keep to themselves. Oftentimes after a divorce, or even after [...]

Ask The Divorce Coach: No Family Support

Question: Dear Shelley, I am going through a divorce after suffering abuse for two and a half years: emotional, verbal, and physical. I turned to my parents to let me live with them in my old bedroom until my divorce gets sorted and they agreed. I am independent, have no children, and I financially help [...]