ReDesigning Women: Social Resources to Empower Women For Life After Divorce

Social Resources to Empower Women For Life After Divorce

Feature Video

Social Resources

‘Social’ often deals with the concept of membership of a group or belonging to a community of people. By its nature, each divorce disrupts the social fabric of the lives touched by the process. Your family unit will be destabilized; you may have to give up your family residence and move away from friends, neighbors and/or extended family; your children may have to change schools; you may have to live in a more modest environment; your children will become members of more than one household; your interactions with existing friends may change; you may be faced with the prospect of making new friends; you may have to return to the work force.

Support groups are a vital component of the divorce process, including access to dependable, knowledgeable, empathetic and proven sources of practical information.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
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Support groups - How to identify divorce-friendly and caring groups that can help you through one of life’s most difficult experiences; how to connect with people who understand what you are going through and can help you deal with the pain of the past and look forward to the future and rebuilding your life;

Communicating with your children - Children’s levels of understanding about divorce by age group; recognizing and understanding children’s common feelings by the things they say; things NOT to say to your children during a divorce; things you should be telling them, often; how to communicate with extra care when your own emotions are heightened; picking the right words to discuss sensitive issues; what children of divorce want you to know; how children react to divorce.

Advising your children's school about the separation/divorce - When, how and with whom you should communicate.

Communicating with your ex-spouse - How to diffuse anger or resentment before communication; understanding “Parental Alienation Syndrome” and how to avoid it; how to avoid children’s exposure to parental conflict; when, how and about what to communicate with the other parent; how to build a different kind of relationship with your ex.

Activities as a single person - Suggestions for places and opportunities to meet others by being involved in your community; recommendations for other safe venues to meet people; how to leverage hobbies and interests to meet new people; how to handle being the new single person in your group of married friends; how to deal with the anticipated changes in your friendships and relationships; how to start dating; juggling dating with being a single parent.

Continuing education - How to complete a partially completed degree; distance learning; being a mature full-time student; job re-training programs.

Re-entering the workforce - How to effectively re-enter the workforce; resume writing after long gap in career; ways to enhance your skills and career opportunities; empathetic and effective placement agencies.

Women's networking - H ighlight issues for working women dealing with divorce; how to connect, learn and grow through the support of others; provide Women’s news features and forums.