Alternatives to Divorce

Life is a journey and the roads are bumpy. Marriage happens to be a part of that journey and it comes with its fair share of challenges. But, at times many couples feel that divorce is the only way out of their marital problems.

Guess what? It doesn't have to be the only way out of an unfulfilling and unhappy marriage. There are solutions other than divorce available at your disposal. You just need to have a mindset broad enough to open yourself up to those options.

If you’re open to the idea of saving your marriage, then you should definitely explore these alternatives to divorce -

Live in Separate Houses Temporarily

Sometimes two people don't conform to each others lifestyle or certain habits. In that case, instead of going for a divorce, they can choose to live in separate houses. You can schedule events, dinners, and other activities. This should give both the parties some space to think and breathe independently. If you have kids, they can stay back and forth in different places.

Live in the same Space, but Different Lives

Think of this arrangement as living with your roommate. You may share same or even different living space. This solution usually works for couples with kids; typically to preserve the family all the while avoiding financial strife. If you want this arrangement to come to fruition, it’s important to set some ground rules and follow them religiously.

Opt for Counselling

Most issues can be worked out easily if only we talked about them. But, most of the times couples find it hard to initiate that dialogue that may soon eliminate the need to go for divorce altogether. In that case, counseling helps! Counseling can be that magic potion that may heal the wounds of the past and give things a fresh start. Of course, it’s not going to be as easy as visiting the counselor and boom! Everything is solved. This will require constant work, a lot of behavioral and lifestyle changes, and most importantly the will to save the marriage and not end it in divorce. This is one of the most effective ways to solve divorce.

Open Marriage

An open marriage works best for couples who seem to be battling with sexual issues and don’t necessarily appreciate the idea of monogamy. An open marriage allows partners to have sexual partners outside of their marriage. Since the forbidden fruit is no longer forbidden, it takes the pressure off and the all the mystery and the allure of having an external affair no longer holds that charm. This should put things in perspective and with some good luck, the couple may soon realize that they are meant for each other.

Trial Separation

More often than not, couples decide to go with the divorce without coming to the grips of the repercussions it would bring later on. In that case, one of the legal alternatives to divorce is to go for trial separation. Trial separation basically allows a couple to experience what the separation would feel like without making the decision permanent. But, it’s important to iron out all the terms such as where the couple will be living, who all will be aware of the decisions, how the financials will be distributed, the scope of freedom and other relationships the couple is allowed to have along with the benchmarks for re-evaluating the marriage.

Conclusion

As you can see, divorce doesn't have to be the only way out of a broken or non-functional marriage. There are ways to make things work provided one of the parties decides to save their marriage. If you’re confused about the whole thing and wondering which route to take, connect with a professional attorney who specializes in trial separation and other divorce-related cases.