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  Counselor: Brenda Mashburn  205.422.4697         Counselor: Terry Mashburn  205.276.2419         Counselor: Faye Summers  205.936.9472    
 
       
       
    When Your Children Divorce
When a parent hears the dreaded words, “we are divorcing”, we go into mommy mode and try to fix things for them.  We try to make things right and mend fences to prevent the upcoming divorce.  There are some things we should consider as choices.

1.) Don’t immediately jump on the bandwagon and start blaming your child’s spouse, especially in front of your grandchildren.  Your anger may be justified, but carelessly
expressed anger can wound deeply.  Be quick to listen and slow to speak.

2.) Don’t continue to let your mind spin in downward circles, asking yourself, “What did he do?” or “What did she do?” or “Why didn’t they…….?”

3.) Don’t take over and try to straighten things out.  Let these adult children live their own lives. Wait for them to ask for your advice.

4.) Don’t try to explain one spouse’s behavior to the other one when you don’t really know the whole story.  Use anger as an ally to propel you to accomplish something constructive.  This energy can become a creative expression.

5.) Exercise…..it allows you to let off steam physically.  It defuses stress and helps you to relax.  It will get your heart and lungs in better shape.

6.) Write about your feelings.  Journaling may help you become aware of what you are feeling and thinking.

At some point we as parents must accept the divorce as a reality and realize that we cannot change our adult children or fix them.  We have to support them and love them in good times and bad.

Faye Summers
Trussville Family Counseling

 

 
       
 

Other articles
Fine Tuning Your Marriage
How To Have A Peaceful Home

 
       
  Trussville Family Counseling exists as an extension of First Baptist Church Trussville, offering help in marital counseling, grief counseling, play therapy (for children), and general mental health.  Terry & Brenda Mashburn and Faye Summers head up Trussville Family Counseling as licensed marriage and family counselors.

Help is available in any of (but not limited to) the following areas:

1. Pre-marital counseling
2. Marriage counseling
3. Parent skills workshops
4. Social skills training for children and adults
5. Help with blended family issues
6. Anger management training for individuals and couples
7. Development of strategies for overcoming depression or anxiety.
  8. Stress management skills
9. Addictions counseling
10. Separation mediation and divorce recovery
11. Life counseling
12. Effective strategies for empty-nesters and other life transitions
13. Sexual enhancement for Christian marriages
14. Dealing with grief and bereavement
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

First Baptist Church Trussville  Ι  128 Chalkville Road North  Ι  Trussville, AL  35173  Ι  205.655.2403