Are you considering divorce or separation?
The ending of a relationship is rarely easy. If children are involved, it becomes even more complex. However, you may feel that your marriage or relationship has come to an end; either because you, your partner or both of you feel that there is no longer a future together.
If you do separate, the consequences will last a lifetime, both for you and your children. You will have to deal with the difficult process of separating but then find ways of negotiating the future. A future where you will no longer be together but will still have an ongoing responsibility for your children.
Children can and do survive and thrive after family separation, but it requires hard work to ensure that this happens. You will both need to recognise and deal with the effects on your children and you will both need to be able to deal with your own feelings about the ending of your relationship.
Separating may feel like the only possible solution. Maybe it is. But the decision to separate is a huge one and you may want to consider whether it may be possible to mend your relationship.
Here are some resources to help you...
This site provides a developing range of articles, self-assessment tools, activities and exercises to help you to improve your relationship. In addition to the resources provided, much of the site is interactive with some content being provided by other users on the forum. The forum is visited regularly by the Talk It Out Team - who have years of experience of helping couples as they work things out in their relationship. They will facilitate the site providing guidance and additional help as necessary.
SaveMarriage.co.uk is a resource for married couples who are working to save their marriage. Our philosophy is that normally a divorce is the least desirable way of dealing with a troubled marriage. Our goal is to help stop your divorce by providing you with alternatives - that is, resources for transforming your marriage into a happy and healthy one.
Relate offers advice, relationship counselling, sex therapy, workshops, mediation, consultations and support face-to-face, by phone and through its website. Here you can find your nearest Relate, book on a course, buy books and consult our experts online.
Marriage Care is a faith-inspired, values driven organisation which offers face-to-face relationship counselling to couples and individuals at over 100 locations across England and Wales. We are a charity that has over 60 years experience of offering relationship counselling. Our services are open to all – whether co-habiting, married, separated, gay or straight, and regardless of race, religion, disability, etc. We don’t charge a fixed fee, but ask for a contribution towards running our services. No-one is turned away because of an inability to pay.