Did your heart sink when your spouse asked to separate for a while?
Before you assume too much, you should know that not every separation ends in divorce. While separation is often a precursor to signing divorce papers, there are situations in which a separation can actually help a couple decide that they do still love each other and want to stay married.
It’s little secret that an intense disagreement can quickly snowball into a major fight. Taking a time out is sometimes the best thing to do for both parties to calm down and be able to discuss the matter rationally.
Similarly, if you and your spouse are constantly fighting, a temporary separation may help relieve the tension and give you both the time you need to:
- Calm down and begin to think rationally
- Take a look at your own behavior
- Re-evaluate your relationship
- Determine how much you are willing to work on the marriage
- Get help from a third party if needed
- Begin the process of reconciliation
Of course, a separation that ends in reconciliation requires that both parties actually want the marriage to work. If one of the spouses sees the separation as a time to work on the marriage while the other sees it as a prequel to a Maryland divorce, that will only make matters worse.
If you and your spouse decide to separate, make sure that you are very clear about your reason for separating and your intentions for the future of your relationship.
If, after a lengthy separation, you and your spouse are still unable to reconcile your relationship, it may be time to seek the aid of an experienced Maryland divorce attorney. For a free consultation call Nickelsporn and Lundin at 800-875-9700.