Breaking Upwards: How to Manage the Emotional Impact of Separation

by Charlotte Friedman

Divorce is not just a legal process—it is an emotional one, too. The break-up of a relationship can be devastating, leaving you overwhelmed with anger and grief. As Charlotte Friedman shows, it doesn’t have to be that way. A former family barrister, Friedman decided to move from the courtroom to the therapist’s chair in order to help people manage the emotional fall-out of divorce. She offers calm, therapeutic advice on everything from how to manage loneliness to letting go of grievance, and draws on illuminating case studies to answer such questions

• How long before I get over this divorce?
• How do I tell the children?
• How do I cope with the new partner in my ex’s life?

This book is designed to give you the confidence to create a genuinely positive new story.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published January 11, 2018

Reviews

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Charlotte Friedman spent 25 years as a barrister in family court and then became a family therapist, so she is eminently, even doubly qualified to address the issues around separation.

This little book is full of tips and tricks to better manage your feelings and loss, let go of grievance, tell the world, manage conflict and expectations, create your story and healthy habits, and share your children. There are other things I love in it too: helpful exercises, lots of lists, stories about other people's lives, and insight (something I particularly relish considering I've been married to the world's most non-communicative person for 16 years).

[Siti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very digestible and straight to the point. Something for busy people who don't really like self-help books that much. Helps you get started well enough.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute best book about separation and ending a relationship.

[David Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cahoots
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...continuation…

My first, one word, review (above) may seem a little raw, yet a re-reading underlines my central point. According to this book the person who has been left just has to 'get over it', any and every problem that arises from a split - especially those regarding children - is entirely, and always, the fault of the person who has been left.

I have downgraded my 3 star rating, but leave it at two, as there may well be some interesting thinking points contained, but the overall message here is;

To those that walk out:- Great, its all good, carry on as you wish
To those that have been left:- You have to modify your behaviour entirely to accommodate your ex and their wishes.

So, all in all, not helpful.