Navigating Divorce

About This Course

Getting through a divorce is a daunting, emotional, and disorienting process. In this course, you'll learn how to move through the divorce process step by step to gain a sense of control and stability, and emerge on the other side as a healthier and happier person.

You'll start by examining the legal realities of divorce, which can be overwhelming. This course will help you develop a good grasp of your legal options and how to pursue them. You'll also work through identity, self-esteem, and personal goals, exploring ways to feel better about yourself and your new life.

Navigating relationships with family (including former in-laws!), children, friends, and coworkers is also challenging. You'll develop the skills to clarify the status of your relationships, examine your friendships, set boundaries with your family, and more. You'll move your relationships in healthy directions and even start thinking about future love!

Along the way you'll hear stories from a number of people who've been through the divorce process. These real-life examples will give you a new perspective and help you make choices about who you want to be in the future.

Through a combination of exercises, reflections, and real-world examples, this course will help you steer through the rough sea of divorce. With the new skills and perspective you'll gain, you'll be well equipped to chart a new direction in your life.

About The Instructor

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Carolyne Call.

Carolyne Call, M.Div., Ph.D., has helped individuals navigate the difficult world of divorce for years. As a speaker, retreat leader, and counselor, she has shown that there are healthy ways to chart and move through the painful journey of divorce, empowering others to grow into healthier, more authentic (and happy!) people. Both individuals and support groups are embracing her recent book Spiritually Healthy Divorce as they seek a better way forward to life after divorce.

Syllabus

A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week 1

Wednesday - Lesson 01

In this first lesson, we'll explore some tools you can use to navigate your divorce. If you've been struggling before, during, or after the divorce process, you're not alone. Today, we'll look at some things you can start doing immediately to make the process much smoother for you and everyone involved. We'll consider specific tools such as finding your desired horizon, making a map, and finding a companion for the journey. We'll also discuss the challenges of this process, including what we call cul-de-sacs, emotional places where you get stuck and can't move forward. We'll explore how to recognize these places and navigate your way out, keeping focused on positive steps you can take to move forward in your journey.

Friday - Lesson 02

Today, we'll jump into some legal terminology and make it accessible and understandable. You'll explore the different types of divorce and what the steps are to move through the process. We'll also look at custody, support, and marital property so you can begin to feel comfortable with the terms and concepts.

Week 2

Wednesday - Lesson 03

Here's your chance to do some psychological exploration. In today's lesson, you'll consider your identity and self-esteem, their roots, how divorce affects them, and how to strengthen them. We'll also discuss specific steps you can take to move in a positive direction so you can be in control of your feelings and your future!

Friday - Lesson 04

In this lesson, we'll tackle one of the most difficult emotions—anger. You'll explore the roots of anger, we'll do a bit of analyzing, and you'll see lots of examples. You'll also learn to avoid cul-de-sacs related to anger, and we'll discuss positive steps you can take to manage anger.

Week 3

Wednesday - Lesson 05

And now for the sad side of divorce: grief. Today, you'll explore the concept of attachment as well as the emotional and physical signs of grief. You'll also become familiar with the cul-de-sacs around grief, and we'll explore techniques for moving forward toward your desired horizon.

Friday - Lesson 06

This is the first of three lessons focused on relationships. We'll look at how divorce impacts your connections with friends and colleagues, and you'll find tools for avoiding the cul-de-sacs of isolation and over-sharing. We'll also discuss how to keep your friendships healthy and positive.

Week 4

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Family dynamics and relationships with family members are never simple, and divorce impacts these relationships in significant ways. In this lesson, we'll look at how divorce can affect your relationships with your immediate family (parents, siblings) and extended family. You'll also consider the impact on relations with your in-laws. We'll talk about cul-de-sacs in this lesson, as well as healthy steps for moving forward.

Friday - Lesson 08

How we respond to children's needs during the divorce process is critical to their emotional health. This is often a complicated process, but we can make it simpler if we first understand how the divorce is affecting them. In this lesson, we'll work to clarify the impact of divorce on children, and we'll explore potential cul-de-sacs around parenting during divorce. There are positive steps you can take to move into a happy, healthy future with your kids.

Week 5

Wednesday - Lesson 09

In this lesson, you'll explore how to get back into the dating scene. We'll consider some of the challenges as well as potential cul-de-sacs, and we'll discuss steps for moving forward plus some important reminders.

Friday - Lesson 10

Divorce can change the way you look at life and other people. Today, we'll look at how divorce affects your worldview. We'll consider how these changes occur and what the results may be. We'll also examine cul-de-sacs as the marks of a healthy worldview.

Week 6

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Getting through the acute phase of divorce is the first part of your journey. In this lesson, we'll focus on the second phase—what you can expect after the divorce is settled. Divorce continues to affect us after the actual date has passed, and it's important to be aware of what may come in the future. We'll explore ways to prepare for events and emotions related to yourself, your children, and other people.

Friday - Lesson 12

In this final lesson, we'll explore some psychological concepts to help you reflect on your divorce and move forward into your new life. We'll investigate locus of control, the power of choice, and finally . . . forgiveness.

Requirements

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).