It was about a month into my divorce when my former spouse stopped by the house to pick up something. She was all decked-out and clearly very excited about that night’s “big date.” I will never forget it. Here I was being crushed under the emotional weight of the divorce, yet she seemed so unscathed […]
“I hope he rots in Hell!” the woman (let’s call her Marge) sitting in front of me said, her voice filled with bitterness. I sat and listened attentively for the next fifteen minutes as she described in vivid detail all the nasty things her ex did and all the pain he brought into her life. Listening […]
Gizmo was pacing around in circles. My brother had found this little, skinny puppy shivering and cold underneath his car in the parking lot of his office. He decided to adopt the dog, and he had just returned from the vet after the initial check-up. As is common for puppies, Gizmo had intestinal worms. Suddenly, […]
There is a powerful scene in the movie The Lion King where Simba and Nala wander off and find themselves lost in the Elephant Graveyard. The Elephant Graveyard is a very scary place, filled with the bones of many dead elephants and vicious animals. They are terrified as they try to find their way out […]
“I have had situations where clients have said to me: ‘I have prayed my rosary everyday for three years and that has not changed my ex one bit.’ Well, the wrong person got changed.”, shares Sandy McKay, a wonderful, Catholic therapist on the Voices of Hope DVD. This is so true. I know I fell into […]
The year or two after my divorce was final was a very confusing time. I sure did my share of fumbling around as I tried, often in vain, to figure out this new life I had been thrust into. I would like to say I learned quickly, and I was able to promptly bring order […]
“I still can’t bring myself to tell people I am divorced.” Linda shared with her Recovering from Divorce group. She had been divorced for over three years, and the shame of being divorced and Catholic still held her hostage. This is very common. I must admit that it has been over thirteen years since my […]
“Two years ago, did you ever imagine you would be running a marathon in Paris, France?” I asked Linda, a recent participant in our Recovering from Divorce program. Her face lit up and with a big smile, she said, “Not in my wildest dreams! I didn’t even start running until after my divorce.” I believed […]
As a typical Type A personality, my natural tendency is to act quickly to address any problem that might arise. This was never more true than when I was going through my divorce. Unfortunately, acting too quickly often pushes God out of the situation as we can step all over His plans. Remember, God’s timing […]
As the fog of emotional pain was starting to lift from my divorce, I made an unexpected discovery: quiet time. Every other weekend the kids went off to their other parent. Initially, the house seemed eerily quiet after the kids left. But over time I came to really appreciate, even look forward to, having this time […]