If you’ve ever caught yourself longing for the one that got away, you might feel equal parts embarrassed and confused. I invite you to lean into reflection and curiosity to gain clarity about how to proceed.

What are the first three words that come to mind when you think of divorce? Mine are: conflict, fighting, heartbreak. Last fall, I was introduced to the concept of collaborative divorce, an official divorce process involving two attorneys, one mental health professional, one financial expert, and two people who start the process as married and end divorced. After hearing a bit about this process from a fellow therapist who has been involved with the practice for years, I started thinking about divorce differently. What if the first three words associated with divorce could shift to trauma-informed ending.