Apart from bereavement, divorce is said to be the most traumatic experience that a person has to endure during their lifetime. The break up of a marriage and the restructuring of personal circumstances can be very distressing and acrimonious for both parties and, it will take a long time for any kind of normality to come back into their lives. Some pointers below may ease the pain.

Make sure that you have friends and family members to help you through in your hours of need. You will want to talk about your problems and you will seek moral support during what is a very difficult time. Professional counselling may also be of benefit if you feel that you would like to discuss matters with someone who is completely impartial.

If you still want to proceed it is at this point that you should seek legal advice because you need to be sure of your rights and the various options open to you. The following useful points were made when we contacted a solicitor in Dorset.

An appointment should be made with a solicitor who specialises in family law and will advise on separation, the situation for any children, financial and property implications and the legal steps that lead up to divorce. Recommendation is always a good way to find a solicitor as friends or family, who have received good service, will always be happy to pass on the name. Most solicitors will give a thirty minutes or one hour consultation free of charge.

You should make sure that you give the solicitor a complete run down of your personal circumstances and let him see all of the related documents such as, bank, mortgage and credit card statements, insurance policies, any loan documents etc. He can then form an accurate picture of your present situation.

Once the decision to end your marriage has been reached there are practical steps that can be taken which will help matters to proceed in an orderly and, hopefully, less stressful way. Try to keep communication open with your spouse. This is particularly important if matters are to proceed as quickly as possible, as a ‘wall of silence’ will make things very difficult, particularly if children are involved. Try to reach an amicable settlement in respect of financial matters and possessions based on the advice from your solicitor. It is much easier when both parties agree and makes a divorce far less stressful and costly. Settling out of court in a civilised way will save time and a great deal of money.