Facing the prospect of separation or divorce can feel like your whole world is being turned upside down.

In some cases it’s an outcome that neither of you welcome, but you may be stuck and see no other way out of your current dilemma. In other cases it may be that only one of you wants to end the relationship and your partner is trying desperately to salvage the situation.

At other times you may both realise that the relationship is no longer fulfilling for either of you and breaking up feels like the right thing to do.

In any of these situations untangling the life you have built together can get messy.  Break ups have the potential to feel overwhelming as feelings of sadness, frustration, anger or resentment start to show.

The prospect of the end of a relationship presents an opportunity to learn about yourself as an individual and who you are as a partner to someone, which may help you in future relationships and give you both a sense of respect for the relationship you are ending.

It can often be useful to talk to a therapist at this time so that you may take these learnings into a new relationship that may ultimately be more fulfilling.