STRESS AND THE ART OF DIVORCE ADJUSTMENT
The effects of divorce can be devastating, if not stressful. Concerns
can include sadness or loss, fears, loneliness, rejection, conflicting
loyalties, responsibilities, and anger. All are stressful. This workshop
will discuss these and provide opportunities to explore methods for
reducing associated stressors and ways to adjust to changed lives.
You will be given an opportunity to develop personal goals.
Instructor George Doherty is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over
20 years experience (6 yrs as Masters Psychologist, Rural Clinics - State
of Nevada, 2 yrs Alamosa, CO & 12 yrs private practice). Specialities
include Crisis Intervention, Trauma, Stress Mgmt & Disaster Mental Health
Specialist. Previous Community College Instructor (NV), teach Workshops,
Disaster Mental Health Courses & Conferences.
Divorce Adjustment WebSite:
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/divorceadjust.html
Objectives
1. Recognize the background and effects of divorce on individuals
and families.
2. To discuss trust and how divorce may affect a sense of trust in others.
3. To identify the emotions that are commonly associated with divorce and
to discuss what happens to feelings that are repressed.
4. Review a 6-step problem solving method.
5. To identify and understand one's rights as an individual.
6. To introduce the concepts of external and internal conflicts.
7. To discuss ways to work through external conflict.
8. To teach individuals how to reduce anxiety that is related to inner conflict
through the use of relaxation training.
9. To discuss problems unique to divorced individuals in order to
provide insight into those problems and provide an opportunity for
group assisted problem solving and conflict resolution.
10. To develop coping strategies for dealing with dating, remarriage and
the stepfamily.
11. To help participants recognize hopes and fears about the future, especially
in relation to building interpersonal relationships.
Outline
I. Background and Effects:
A. Statistics on Divorce
B. Brief Review of effects of Divorce
C. Common Concerns
1. Fear
2. Sadness or Loss
3. Feelings of responsibility
4. Loneliness
5. Feelings of rejection
6. Conflicting loyalties
7. Anger
II. Common Components
A. Self-esteem - Divorce creates emotional responses that may lower
self-esteem. This can interfere with the ability
to successfully meet challenges and, consequently,
may negatively affect future self-concept.
1. Self-esteem and the family
2. Self-esteem and change
3. Self-esteem and groups
B. Cognitive understanding of divorce
C. Coping Skills
D. Communication Skills
E. Problem Solving
F. Stress Management
G. Other areas - use of BASIC-ID as a guideline to help assess
adjustment.
III. Types of Divorce and Impacts
A. Destructive divorce
B. Benevolent divorce
C. Importance of belonging
IV. Trust, Feelings, and Sharing One's Self and One's Feelings
V. Problem-solving - 6 steps
1. State the problem
2. Identify how you feel about it.
3. Discuss the problem with a trusted friend.
4. Decide if the problem can be solved directly.
5. Remind yourself that the only person you can change is yourself.
6. Decide what action is possible.
VI. Personal Rights
VII. Working through conflict
A. Discussion
B. Evaluation
C. Bargaining
D. Follow through
E. Closure
VIII. Stress Management Techniques
IX. Problems unique to divorced families
A. Problems associated with single parenthood.
B. Problems associated with visiting and custody issues.
C. Problems associated with financial matters.
D. Problems associated with abandonment.
X. Dating, Remarriage, and the Stepfamily
A. Dating
B. Remarriage
C. Step Families
XI. Hopes for the future - Relationship building
A. Relationship building
B. Relationship problems
XII. Summary and Where to go from here?
Books on Divorce and Divorce Adjustment and Self-help
Divorce Statistics
Divorce Adjustment
EMAIL: larlion@usa.net
