Divorce During COVID-19 (February 2021)
The COVID-19, Coronavirus pandemic shutdowns have effected every one of us, from lost businesses, to school closures, to parents having to stay home with their children, to lost jobs, to unemployment applications, the list goes on. What we are starting to now see more of, are the emotional, psychological and relational stress on families, couples and children. Couples and families are now sharing closer quarters than ever before, working and learning from home, zoom classes, zoom meetings, puts every family member on top of one another. Parents are stretched to their capacity. Couples are spending more time together than they ever imagined. Most are lacking the other support networks they have relied on, such as work contacts, gyms, churches and friends and extended family.
People are at a breaking point. If this feels like you, or someone you know, remember that support systems are still there, but we have to work harder to find them. Therapy is happening via zoom, outdoor exercise classes, and friends are still just a call away. Now is a good time to get into couples counseling for the first time, or again, if you are feeling the strain. If you need referrals, ask a friend (or ask us! We have names we trust that have worked magic). If you are ready to move on, getting advice in the early stages can save you a lot of grief later. The “how” the process starts can have more of an impact that any of the later steps in the process. We recommend getting the ‘how’ right, so that you can as gracefully as is possible, as smoothly as can be, transition to the next phase of your life, if that is what is happening. Getting the ‘how’ right, can impact your children for life. Although mediation is not longer happening in person, zoom is proving highly effective and some clients are preferring the separate space while in meetings. We have been doing zoom sessions long before COVID required it, and have found a seamless process to make the difficult, a little less so. The Santa Cruz County Self Help center is still meeting with people in person and filings are going through as usual. https://www.santacruzcourt.org/self-help
Going through a divorce during COVID is adding an extra layer of challenge, and through mediation, guidance with filing divorce paperwork, we can get you through.