Your Spouse Wants a Divorce, But You Don’t. What Should You Do?

It’s an unfortunate reality that may divorces, at least when they first get started, are not exactly mutual. What do you do if your spouse wants a divorce, but you do not?

Your first step should be to have a frank discussion with your spouse and figure out why he or she wants a divorce and if there is anything that can be done to save the marriage. If the desire for a divorce came as a threat during a heated argument, there’s a chance your spouse might regret saying it later. However, if it came in the form of a very measured conversation, or if your spouse has already moved out or even served you with divorce papers, it’s clear this is a serious desire on his or her part.

Having an honest conversation with your spouse enables you to determine to what extent he or she feels the marriage to be broken, and if there’s a willingness to take any steps that might help heal the marriage, like attending therapy or counseling together.

Regardless, there are going to be issues you’ll need to address, as threats of divorce do not usually arise in happy marriages.

Understand you cannot hold the marriage together by yourself

If you’ve had a series of conversations or have tried mending the relationship and it’s clear your spouse still is not interested in pursuing a future together as a married couple, you’ll need to accept that you cannot keep the marriage going. You cannot force someone to stay married to you.

The harsh reality is that it does not matter whether you want to get divorced. If your spouse has his or her mind set to it, there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Therefore, it’s important to secure the assistance of an attorney and create a strong support system to help you through what will be an emotionally draining process.

For further guidance on moving forward with a divorce process, meet with a dedicated Long Island family law attorney at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.