Overcoming Late-Life Divorce
By: M. Katherine Lickteig, MA, LPC Associate Supervised by Melissa Barton, MA, LPC-S
Are you the adult child of a late-life divorce? Have you been adversely affected by the fact that your parents recently divorced? You are not alone. Adult children are often involved negatively by the divorce of their parents. They often struggle with issues of grief. Adult children often question their life's meaning. They work to find meaning from the situation. Adversely, adult children can suffer far worse than minor children. If you are struggling with issues from your parent's divorce, you are not alone.
What is a late-life divorce?
Late-life divorce is a term given to a couple who split after many years of marriage. The divorce rate amongst younger people has decreased. However, the divorce rate for older adults has soared in the past few years. The unintentional consequence of the increase in late-life divorce is that adult-children face emotional issues at an unprecedented rate.
Is it ok to feel this way?
Your parents have done their job. Are you being selfish? It is ok to acknowledge that it is ok to feel that way. Try to be patient with your feelings. Typical feelings that you may experience can range from grief to anger. You may need to seek a professional to work out how you are feeling.
Grief:
Grief is a struggle that many adult children experience. Therefore, when adult children learn of their parent's impending divorce, they will often go through the stages of grief. These children are shocked that what they knew as their childhood has died. The person is grieving the loss of their childhood. Occasionally, extreme levels of grief may also cause this person to question their life.
Questioning Reality after late-life divorce:
Adult children of divorce tend to question everything in their lives. They often doubt themselves and their relationships, and they often suffer from trust issues within their relationships. Sometimes, individuals will challenge themselves about the reality of their family. This will happen significantly if one spouse has rewritten the history of the marriage. They would ask themselves if they were part of the happy family they thought they were. They will question their ability to discern the truth from their lives.
Change in the Dynamics of Family Relationships:
Children of late-life divorce will have to deal with a change in the dynamics of the family. You may have other people to consider. Relationships may strain to the point they can never be repaired. You may no longer have a relationship with one or both parents.
Healing Is Possible.
Divorce is never easy. Sometimes it is unavoidable. As a result, it is important that all family members affected become involved if you are experiencing such issues due to the divorce. A trusted therapist can help. If you have any questions, please get in touch with one of our therapists at Cinco Ranch Counseling to aid you in getting through this difficult time.
Begin Personal Therapy in Katy, TX
If you are ready to talk about late-life divorce or inquire about personal therapy, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! To begin personal counseling in Katy, TX you can follow these three steps:
- Contact our office to set up an appointment
- Meet with one of our skilled therapists
- Change the dynamics of your life in a positive way!
Other Services We Offer:
Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch, we offer counseling services for people of all ages in areas including counseling for kids, Counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. We provide helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. Our therapists strive to post blogs regularly. To learn more about our therapists and counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!