Separation is inevitably difficult, emotional and often overwhelming, but there are ways in which the effect can be minimised. Having seen countless people through this time in their lives, we have gathered some simple tips that can be helpful to everyone:

1. Take your time: Very rarely do decisions need to be rushed and so giving yourself an opportunity to reflect and consider is so important before making decisions;

2. Take care of yourself – make sure that you have the support you need from professionals as well as friends. Counselling and therapy can be extremely beneficial during this time;

3. Listen to advice: it is easier for your lawyer to see the situation from all perspectives, and having seen various scenarios play out in the past we are well placed to advise you as to the best strategy for keeping things stable;

4. Think about long term implications of your decisions: the brief pleasure to be had from scoring points or causing difficulties for the other party, is likely to result in longer term damage;

5. Communicating effectively: listening and thinking about the perspective of the other person and your children will help you to find solutions that work;

6. Consider your priorities and what you want to achieve – take your time over this and make sure you have all the facts, and advice, you need to make this decision.

7. Look to the future: This is an opportunity for change and new projects.

There are lots of important decisions to make during separation and so you need to be well informed and well advised. The highlight for us is always seeing our clients at the end of this difficult process, having found the right path and excited about the future. At the outset, people often worry that they won’t get there, but they do.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.