Divorce is often seen as a dividing line that severs all relational ties, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, preserving relationships after a divorce—whether with your children, extended family, or even your ex-spouse—can create a healthier post-divorce environment for everyone. With the right mindset and approach, you can maintain relationships that allow all parties, especially children, to feel secure and valued.
Setting the Right Goals
If you have children, prioritizing their emotional well-being should be at the forefront of your goals for the divorce. Children benefit from seeing a united front and knowing that you both still care about their happiness and security. This means fostering a cooperative parenting relationship. Letting your children know that they are loved and valued and that they remain part of a family that has been restructured can greatly reduce their emotional stress.
Similarly, your ex-in-laws and extended family are also important to your children. These individuals may not have always been easy for you to get along with, but they will still play a role in your children’s lives. Maintaining a civil relationship with them can help your children to have the support system they need without the tension that family conflict can bring.
Choosing the Right Divorce Process
The way you handle your divorce will impact your ability to preserve relationships afterward. Divorce proceedings can be conducted either through traditional in-court litigation or out-of-court options like Mediation or Collaborative Divorce. In-court divorces are inherently adversarial, which often escalates conflict, fuels resentment, and may harm your ability to communicate with your ex-spouse after the divorce is over. This makes it difficult to maintain a friendly or even civil post-divorce relationship.
Out-of-court methods, on the other hand, offer a more peaceful approach. Mediation, for example, involves hiring a neutral third party to help you to reach a mutually agreeable settlement. This process keeps emotions in check, as you work together rather than against each other. Similarly, the Collaborative Divorce process involves a team approach where you and your spouse, with the advice of your attorneys and neutral divorce professionals help you to negotiate a fair outcome with the shared goal of staying out of court. By sidestepping the adversarial nature of court, out-of-court options offer a path to resolution that prioritizes harmony over hostility, helping you maintain healthy relationships post-divorce.
Preserving Friendships and Other Family Connections
Divorce doesn’t only impact the relationship with your ex-spouse; it can also strain friendships and connections with extended family. These relationships may be caught in the crossfire if they are drawn into your divorce drama. By choosing a cooperative divorce process, you can keep these friends and family members from feeling like they need to “choose sides.” When friends and extended family aren’t forced to take sides, they’re less likely to feel awkward or uncomfortable continuing relationships with both you and your ex-spouse after the divorce.
Moving Forward with a Positive Outlook
Preserving relationships after divorce requires you to shift your perspective. As one old saying goes, “It may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be hard.” Embrace this new chapter with an understanding of what is best for everyone and especially your children. Putting aside past conflicts and focusing on cooperation can pave the way for positive relationships that foster healthy connections for years to come.
Anthony J. Diaz is an experienced family law attorney focusing on Mediation and Collaborative Divorce. His offices are located at 2431 Aloma Ave Suite #124,
Winter Park, FL 32792 and 3720 Suntree Blvd., Suite 103G, Melbourne, FL. 32940.
You may contact Anthony Diaz by calling 407-212-7807 or by email an*****@************aw.com or visit anthonydiazlaw.com for more information.
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Anthony Diaz is a Family Law and Collaborative Divorce attorney, mediator, speaker and coach in Orlando. Known as The Peacemaker, his practice specializes in divorce with dignity, mediation, collaboration, uncontested and out-of-court options to help families find peaceful solutions.
With over 20 years of experience, Anthony is passionate about helping his clients resolve conflict, reduce stress and move peacefully through the divorce process without going to court. He has helped thousands of families experience a more positive outcome.
As a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family and Circuit Civil Mediator, a State Qualified Arbitrator, and an esteemed member of the Leadership Academy of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Anthony’s expertise in mediation and conflict resolution makes him uniquely qualified to help couples navigate the emotional and financial challenges of divorce.
He is an active and highly respected professional in the Florida collaborative community. Anthony serves as Co-Chair of the Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals Outreach Committee and is a Board Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
Prior to opening his private practice, Anthony was a CPA and an Assistant State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida. He earned his degree at Stetson University College of Law.
Anthony is also a published author, co-authoring Faces Behind the Pages and Creating Relationships and Family with Courage and Compassion. His solo works include:
• Divorce With Dignity – 3 Powerful Steps to Heal and Move Past Your Divorce N.O.W.
• !n-joy Your Relationships! – 7 Pillars to Deepening Your Connections With Passion and Purpose
• Moving Consciously Through Conflict – 5 Meaningful Steps to Mediating Conflict With Compassion
As a coach and an international speaker, his passion, mission and purpose is to help families move on from their divorce with dignity and embrace a more peaceful future.