Dr. Rob and Marriage and Family Therapist and CSAT Arlene Rosen explore the options available to couples who are on the fence about staying together or separating. They discuss discernment counseling, litigation, and collaborative divorce; and consider the benefits and difficulties associated with each route. Arlene is an advocate of restructuring the marriage or divorce through a discernment counseling process, and she shares the value of engaging in discernment counseling to explore whether there is really any breath left in a relationship.

TAKEAWAYS:

[1:22] The driver behind Arlene’s work with addiction and divorce.

[4:39] The role and value of a mediator in divorce.

[6:30] Litigation and court process horror stories.

[10:38] Discernment counseling as a preliminary divorce consideration.

[13:10] Restructuring the marriage through a discernment counseling process.

[14:30] Separation is always on the table.

[17:15] Discernment counseling explores whether there is any breath left in a relationship.

[19:53] Collaborative divorce is an excellent alternative to traditional divorce.

[25:49] First steps in getting started with collaborative divorce.

RESOURCES:

Sex and Relationship Healing

@RobWeissMSW

Sex Addiction 101

Seeking Integrity

Free Sexual Addiction Screening Assessment

Partner Sexuality Survey

Arlene Rosen

Seeking Integrity Podcasts are produced in partnership with Podfly Productions.

QUOTES:

• “Discernment counseling is a protocol for when one person is leaning out of a relationship and the other person is leaning in.”
• “Discernment counseling is not for people who have already made a decision about divorce.”
• “Discernment counseling is an opportunity to determine if you are willing to meet the other person’s needs and to work on this relationship.”