Whether your partner left or it's you who decided to end the relationship, breaking-up is painful, difficult and sometimes overwhelming. Friends and family urge you to forget the past and reach for the future. However, it is never that simple. Before you can move on, you need to understand what went wrong, mourn the loss and, most importantly, to heal. In this compassionate book, marital therapist, Andrew G Marshall takes you from hearing the bad news or making the decision to leave, through the fall-out from the split, the first steps of recovery and finally onto making a new life. He covers: - Knowing when to stop trying and accept the inevitable. - Why the break-up hurts so much. - Emotional first-aid to make it through the worst times. - The difference between looking back and learning, and becoming trapped in the past. - What helps and what hinders recovery. - Making sense of your break-up. - Helping your children cope. - Learning how to fly high again. With over 25 years' experience as a marital therapist, Marshall draws on hundreds of case studies, and provides sensible, compassionate and practical advice. (Some of the exercises in this book have appeared in I Love You But I'm Not In Love With You by Andrew G. Marshall, published by Bloomsbury)

Power of You: Learning How To Leave is dedicated to freeing those stuck within toxic relationships including codependent victims of narcissistic abuse. Compassionately grounded in science and embedded in the author's 25 years plus of clinical experience, this is nevertheless an easy and powerful read. Learn how to spot the warning signs of unhealthy relationships, understand how they develop and take practical steps to escape safely, heal fully and avoid getting hooked again in the future. Refreshingly straight-talking, this book encourages the reader to recognise the tactics used against them, disarm the abuser and reconnect with the empowering life they could be living "Sometimes we need to throw that stone and call the judgment and just see things and people for what they are!" - Michael Padraig Acton Michael Padraig Acton's 30+ years experience as a therapist and life coach, plus engaging case studies plus insights from experts across different fields, are packed into this fascinating, hard-to-put-down guide that will empower abused sufferers - and those who care for them - to escape their toxic binds forever... and move towards lasting health in their relationships. Tackling narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, codependency, coercive control and more, Learning How to Leave explores toxic relationships in intimate relationships, families, corporations, business partnerships and more. Michael Padraig Acton is dedicated to revealing the connection between narcissistic personality disorder abuse and domestic violence that is spreading disaster and death across the world while letting the abusers walk free and repeat their crimes. The power of knowledge, understanding and support offered to victims of toxic relationships can be a life-changing step towards freedom. The Narcissist's Mantra "That didn't happen. And, if it did, it wasn't that bad. And, if it was, that's not a big deal. And if it is, that's not my fault. And if it was, I didn't mean it. And if I did, you deserved it."

Michele Weiner Davis goes beyond her marriage-saving bestseller, Divorce Busting, with this empowering and encouraging guide for revitalizing marriage and building stronger, more loving bonds. In a down-to-earth style that is free of psychobabble, Weiner Davis outlines a realistic, solution-oriented seven-step program for managing marital problems, which, when left unchecked, can drain the life out of a relationship. Using revealing anecdotes and in-depth case studies, she illustrates practical ways for marriage partners to

• avoid the "divorce trap"
• identify specific marriage-saving goals
• move beyond ineffective, hurtful ways of interacting
• become an expert on "doing what works"
• overcome infidelity, Internet obsessions, depression, sexual problems, and midlife crises
• get your marriage back on track -- and keep it there

Rescue your marriage with the proven techniques of The Divorce Remedy -- sound, sensible advice from a renowned relationship expert!

*** 'An honest and thoughtful memoir. Moving but, ultimately, full of hope. Beautiful.' KATE MOSSE 'Superb. Love & Care is a book about the unbreakable bonds of family, the cruelty of passing time and a love that never dies.' TONY PARSONS 'A beautiful, intimate story of love and understanding - candid and funny. This is a lyrical memoir of hope and forgiveness.' RAYNOR WINN, author of The Salt Path * Shaun is finally free of responsibilities to anyone but himself; single, with two grown up daughters, he is just embarking on a new life in a new country when he gets a call to say his father is dying. His mother has Parkinson's Dementia and is in a care home. Shaun faces a stark choice: should he give up his new-found freedom, or turn his back on the woman he'd fought so hard to protect, not least from his own father? Shaun's mother had loved and cared for her son all her life. Could he now do the same for her? 'A heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and beautifully humane account of loving and caring.' NICCI GERRARD, novelist and author of What Dementia Teaches Us About Love 'An insightful tale of care . . . this book needed to be written.' JO GOOD, BBC Radio London 'A vital subject, a really strong voice and, hurrah, humour makes this absorbing reading.' CAROLINE RAPHAEL, Radio 4's Book at Bedtime 'An eye-opening - and at times jaw dropping - account that will make you weep with its tenderness and compassion . . . A highly readable tale of redemption and a celebration of love's many hues.' PAUL BLEZARD, Love Reading 'Moving' DAILY MAIL

The commonly asked question today is, "Should divorced people remarry?" With great compassion and warmth, Dr. Laney maintains that the more fundamental question with which Christ dealt is, "Should married people be divorced?" His purpose is to draw the church up short against the runaway divorce epidemic with a theology of marriage.Challenging the church on the subject of divorce and remarriage, the author carefully builds evidence from scripture and from cultural and historical data for a no-divorce/remarriage position. Not everyone will agree with Laney, but it deserves the careful attention of all who are genuinely concerned about the divorce issue.

Examine a wide variety of divorce therapy approaches with this seminal book. Divorce Therapy is one of the first books to present a comprehensive approach to divorce therapy. Based on a foundation of theory and research about divorce, this landmark volume focuses on the help that psychotherapists can provide during the three stages of divorce--pre-divorce decision making, divorce restructuring, and post-divorce recovery. A distinguished array of researchers and clinicians address discuss mediation, criteria for a constructive divorce, remarriage, custody issues, and much more.

At thirty-one, Kirsten has just returned to San Francisco from a bohemian year in Rome, ready to pursue a serious career as a writer and eventually, she hopes, marriage and family. When she meets Steve Beckwith, a handsome and successful attorney, she begins to see that future materialize more quickly than she'd dared to expect. Twenty-two years later, Steve has turned into someone quite different. Unemployed and addicted to opioids, he uses money and their two children to emotionally blackmail Kirsten. What's more, he's been having an affair with their real estate agent, who is also her close friend. So she divorces him--but after their divorce is finalized, Steve is diagnosed with colon cancer and dies within a year, leaving Kirsten with $1.5 million in debts she knew nothing about. It's then that she finally understands: The man she'd married was a needy, addictive person who came wrapped in a shiny package. As she fights toward recovery, Kirsten begins to receive communications from Steve in the afterlife--which lead her on an unexpected path to forgiveness. The Ghost Marriage is her story of discovery--that life isn't limited to the tangible reality we experience on this earth, and that our worst adversaries can become our greatest teachers.

Since "Divorce For Dummies, Second Edition" published in 2005, there have been considerable changes in collaborative divorces, common law marriages, same sex marriages, visitation, and even custody laws (from children to pets). "Divorce For Dummies, Third Edition" includes 25 percent new, revised, and refreshed material covering all of the above.

'Unputdownable... A perfect summer holiday read' Reader Review Sparkling sun, strolls in the gorgeous French countryside, that first sip of cool, crisp wine - Summer is Kat's favourite season. And this year should be no exception... 'Fun, emotional and packed with French sunshine. I adored it!' - Sunday Times bestselling author Milly Johnson As soon as Kat Jenson set foot in the idyllic French village of Kirchhoffen, she knew she'd found her home. Now she has a dreamy boyfriend, a delightful dog and the perfect job managing a bustling book cafe in the vibrant Parc Lemmel. But when she learns her boyfriend isn't all he seems, it's the start of a difficult summer for Kat. Vindictive troublemakers, work woes and family heartache follow, and the clear blue sky that was her life suddenly seems full of clouds. Then she gets to know the mysterious Noah, and her sun begins to shine brighter than ever. But Noah has problems of his own - ones that could scupper their new-found happiness. Together, can they overcome their many obstacles, and find love again? The perfect summer read for fans of Trisha Ashley, Sarah Morgan and Carole Matthews. 'A sun-drenched read that's perfect for summer!' Phillipa Ashley 'Sue's writing sparkles like the summer sun.' Sheila O'Flanagan 'Charming, uplifting and utterly delightful - I was totally swept up in this gorgeous book!' Holly Martin Readers LOVE Summer at the French Cafe! 'I was transported to beautiful French villages and an idyllic book cafe I couldn't put it down.' 'Perfect summer escapism...love, laughter, friendship, relationships, gorgeous food and heavenly summer days!' 'A great, uplifting romance!' 'I felt like I was sat reading this in the glorious French sunshine' 'Uplifting and light-hearted...I read it in one sitting.' 'The perfect escapism between the pages of a book.' 'Glorious! Escape from your armchair to the sunny climes of a village in France.'

"Stag's Leap" is stunningly poignant sequence of poems that tells the story of a divorce, embracing strands of love, sex, sorrow, memory, and new freedom.
In this wise and intimate telling--which carries us through the seasons when her marriage was ending--Sharon Olds opens her heart to the reader, sharing the feeling of invisibility that comes when we are no longer standing in love's sight; the surprising physical bond that still exists between a couple during parting; the loss of everything from her husband's smile to the set of his hip. Olds is naked before us, curious and brave and even generous toward the man who was her mate for thirty years and who now loves another woman. As she writes in the remarkable "Stag's Leap," "When anyone escapes, my heart / leaps up. Even when it's I who am escaped from, / I am half on the side of the leaver." Olds's propulsive poetic line and the magic of her imagery are as lively as ever, and there is a new range to the music--sometimes headlong, sometimes contemplative and deep. Her unsparing approach to both pain and love makes this one of the finest, most powerful books of poetry Olds has yet given us.

Get Powerful Now is a woman's guide from zero to becoming her own hero after "he" is gone. Carol Zurita begins by sharing her personal story about a breakup that led to a deep depression. She takes readers on the journey with her through the chapters, explaining the sequence of actions she took to recover from that broken heart. Unexpectedly, the actions she took combined with a new environment drove Carol to become an inspirational mentor not only to women going through similar situations, but to anyone searching to gain confidence and find their life purpose. Get Powerful Now empowers those going through hard times to become unstoppable and unbreakable.

No more spinning your wheels trying to figure out how to leave your abusive spouse. Have you ever wished you had the perfect guidebook that would give you step-by-step information to help you carefully plan a swift and safe departure from your emotionally abusive spouse and help you prepare for getting a divorce - at the same time? Here it is! In I Just Want Out, Jodi Schuelke combines detailed practical information with her personal experiences and the lessons she learned from strategically planning her exit (along with her children) from her emotionally abusive first marriage. I Just Want Out expands on the information found in such books as Stop Walking on Eggshells and Splitting, by providing pre-departure and pre-divorce planning and details about what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why it's important. Jodi will support you and travel beside you on your journey to freedom using her practical seven-step FREEDOM Framework process.

Now in paperback--a groundbreaking guide that tells parents how to help their children at the time of the breakup and in the many years that follow within the post-divorce and remarried family--from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce.
In the tradition of the best parenting guidebooks comes a new work by the renowned child psychologist Judith Wallerstein on a subject that vexes millions of American moms and dads: How can you genuinely protect your children during and after divorce? Wallerstein answers this important question based on 30 years of in-depth interviews with children of divorce and their parents.
Divorce is not a single event but a lifelong trajectory of changed circumstances that demand a different kind of parenting than we have ever known. In What About the Kids? Wallerstein shows parents how to create a new family with compassion and wisdom. It covers issues that arise at the time of divorce as well as suggestions for talking to your children months and years after the event.
Eminent psychologist Judith S. Wallerstein shares her unique insight and advice in What About the Kids?--the first comprehensive guide to easing the impact of divorce on your children--including:
The best and worst ages for children to experience their parents' divorce Right and wrong ways to explain divorce to your children Choosing a custody arrangement that's best for your child How to involve the grandparents--a major resource? Getting the children on your side when you form new relationships The positive effects of divorce on children (believe it or not) How divorce can actually make you a better parent Raising children who grow up able to form lasting relationships

Children living in separated family situations fare best when their relationship with each of their parents continues to be close. "Putting Children First" helps mothers and fathers unlock and resolve the conflict around contact with children that can arise during and after separation. Using strategies such as parenting plans, scripted phone calls, and parenting meetings, the book will enable parents to communicate effectively on all the most important things in their children's lives--and make relaxed arrangements for the continued involvement by both parents with their children.

"A compact but thorough guide to successfully handling and surviving a divorce." -PsychCentral The bestselling author of Will I Ever Be Good Enough?: Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers draws on her expertise in treating men, women, and children damaged by narcissists in this practical guide to divorce and its aftermath. Narcissism-a personality disorder that goes beyond mere selfishness and vanity-is a prevalent cause of marital and family problems. Narcissists do not have the capacity to love, understand other people's emotions, or feel empathy. They are grandiose in their need for praise and attention, they overestimate their abilities, and they diminish people around them with emotional abuse. Being in an intimate relationship with a narcissist destroys your hopes, dreams, and peace of mind and erodes your children's emotional health and your finances. Does this sound like what you have to deal with? If you ever look at your partner and wonder in despair if you will ever be free, the answer is yes, you can be. A leading authority on narcissism, Dr. Karyl McBride offers proven therapeutic advice that will help you protect and nurture yourself and your children through your difficult divorce, from separating from your narcissistic partner and navigating the court system, where a narcissist can be especially destructive, to a restorative healing program of trauma recovery.

Acclaim for Painful Partings . . .
"A rare triple threat book--for professionals, students, and laypersons. Sensitive--wise--comprehensive, Schwartz and Kaslow's work represents a maturing of a realistic stance toward divorce." --William C. Nichols, EdD, ABPP Atlanta, Georgia
"This articulate, compassionate, and informed book is essential reading for all therapists who work with divorced or divorcing families. Scholarly, yet readable, its developmental framework gives coherence to an often confusing area of practice." --Augustus Y. Napier, PhD Director, The Family Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia
" Painful Partings] masters both the legal and mental health issues of divorce." --Judge Joseph L. Steinberg Superior Court, State of Connecticut, Regional Family Trial Docket
"Obtaining a legal divorce may seem fairly straightforward. Emotional divorce, on the other hand, is a much more complicated process. In this book, the reader is taken step by painful step into the process of helping couples become emotionally divorced." --Luciano L'Abate, PhDProfessor Emeritus, Georgia State University
"This book achieves a remarkable result in explaining sophisticated family-system concepts . . . into practical clinical suggestions." --Barry Bricklin, PhD Wayne, Pennsylvania.
"This book is a must for professionals, but is also important for those who are contemplating or in the process of divorcing." --Hon. Walter M. Schackman, JSC Supreme Court of the State of New York
"Must reading for clinicians and professionals working with and teaching about divorce and for those going through the process." --Clifford J. Sager, MD Director of Marital and Family Services, Payne Whitney Clinic
"The journey toward divorce] seems analogous to a prolonged roller coaster ride--at the beginning, climbing up and out is laborious and slow, followed by brief periods of respite and relief at the apex, and then a rapid descent into what may seem like a bottomless pit of pain and despair. As the months pass by, the ride becomes less turbulent as the highs and lows become less extreme, and ultimately, the travelers alight from the tempestuous ride, and establish a stable postdivorce existence." --from the Preface
For those who have made the difficult decision to end their marriage, emotional divorce can be as difficult to achieve as legal divorce. This timely and compassionate book shows couples, their families, and their therapists how best to navigate the bumpy terrain of the road to divorce.
In their 1987 classic, The Dynamics of Divorce, family-systems experts Lita Linzer Schwartz and Florence W. Kaslow offered a provocative analysis of how life-cycle stages impact the decision to divorce, and how divorce affects individual development. In this groundbreaking new volume, the authors look at changing life-cycle trends in divorce and explore a host of new economic, cultural, and social issues confronting a highly mobile generation of divorced spouses and parents.
The book covers emerging alternatives to litigation--like mediation, and looks at sensitive legal matters, such as physical and emotional abuse and child custody. It also examines timely issues like fathers' rights, mid-life divorce, and what happens when one partner exits a marriage in order to lead a homosexual lifestyle.
Painful Partings shows marriage and family therapists how to help clients marshal their energies toward constructive closure, rather than destructive resolution. For example, there is a full chapter on the religious aspects of divorce, including conducting a Ritual of Release--a departure ceremony paralleling the original marriage. Essential reading for therapists who work with divorced and divorcing families, the book is also a compassionate guide for spouses and parents negotiating the painful process of divorce.

'Gripping' Vogue 'Empowering' Cosmopolitan 'Joyful' Financial Times 'Eye-popping' Daily Mail When her 22-year-marriage suddenly ended, 47-year-old mother of three Laura expected life as she knew it to be over. What she hadn't expected: * An incredible one-night stand * A new-found sexual appetite * Ten men in eight months * That there is plenty of fun to be had after 40 From G-spots to bald spots, dirty talk to dating fiascos, Available is the unflinchingly honest, empowering, and humorous true story of one woman's love life after divorce. 'A real page-turner [...] Unexpected, original, funny and sometimes deeply infuriating, Laura Friedman Williams has so much to say about what we expect of women's sexuality. I loved it' Viv Groskop author of How to Own the Room