Perhaps you suffered a horrible illness that put you in the hospital — and your wife told you that she was leaving you, right before you went in for surgery. Or maybe you have been struggling with a mental illness, like depression or bipolar, and your husband decided that he “can’t handle it anymore,” and he has sought separation.
In either case, you now have to face the agonizing prospect of going through a divorce while simultaneously trying to cope with a serious physical or mental abnormality. In today’s blog and two more that will follow, we will discuss some ideas for how to manage your complex and emotionally (and physically) demanding tasks ahead.
First off, given the multiple calamities that you face, you want to gather resources and people around you to make the challenge simpler. Your first thought should be: what people in my life, whom I trust, can help me with diverse tasks in the weeks and months to come?
Maybe you’re a young California professional who has always been self-reliant and independent. Or maybe you’re somewhat older, and you feel concerned about “asking favors” from friends, relatives, and maybe your employer. In either case, put aside pride and guilt. Focus on getting the help you need. List out all of your needs (and anticipated needs), and then list out the people in your life who might be able to out. Then make positive, actionable requests from your support group. You might be surprised by how much help you can get just by asking.
Likewise, if you have not yet retained a California divorce or child custody lawyer, call the Dinnebier & Demmerle team right now to schedule a consultation.