January is a time of new beginnings, but unfortunately it is also a time when many people are faced with separation and divorce
Sadly, for some of us the festive season is filled with less joy and more sadness. Family Lawyers know this all too well. In the weeks following the Christmas and New Year period, we can expect to see a marked increase in people seeking assistance in relation to separation.
Donaldson Law’s Family Lawyer, Katrina Potter, gives insight into this, “The New Year is synonymous with fresh starts, and with people looking ahead and developing new personal and professional goals. If a person has been unhappy or dissatisfied in their relationship leading up to New Year, then I think that this mindset can definitely influence the decision to ultimately separate.”
Unfortunately, high rates of New Year separations are not a new phenomenon. A quick Google search will tell you that divorce statistics across the globe spike each year in the month of January. So, what is it about the holiday period that pushes couples to end their relationship? “Many people feel the pressure to ‘keep it together’ to get through the Christmas period, but then sometimes that extra time with their partner during holidays or at a family celebration is enough to cause a fractured relationship to finally break. Particularly if there has been an overindulgence in alcohol, which we know is more likely to occur during the Christmas/ New Year event season.”
Statistics would also suggest that people are now taking steps to separate later in life, and after a long-term relationship. Couples aged 45 years and above are currently the most likely demographic to divorce, and often after their children have reached adulthood or moved out of the family home. Perhaps this is because previously the children had kept them distracted from their relationship problems, or maybe because they were reluctant to upset the status quo while the children were young.
Whatever the reason or whenever it may occur, if you are experiencing relationship breakdown, then you are not alone.
At Donaldson Law we understand that if you are separating then you will be facing one of the most distressing times in your life, and experience tells us that the old-fashioned and high conflict approach to family law will only increase the emotional and financial burden that you are suffering. This is why our family law team is deliberately comprised of professionals who are at their core caring and emphatic human beings. We are genuinely committed to protecting our clients by utilising strategies aimed at reducing (rather than inflaming) anger and conflict.
Our goal is to assist each of our clients to find a resolution that provides them the earliest opportunity to move forward into a better headspace, and onward with their lives in a more positive way.
If you are looking for a safe pair of hands to support you through the legal process of separation and divorce, reach out to our team at Donaldson Law.