Divorce After Narcissistic Abuse

 Posted on June 13,2024 in Divorce

Being married to a narcissist makes you feel small and unimportant. Narcissists put their own needs and even wants above everyone and everything else. They use their spouses and others around them to selfishly meet their own desires without regard for how their actions make others feel. Recognizing that your spouse is a narcissist and making the decision to get divorced is a big step. Breaking free from a narcissistic abuser is typically challenging, as most narcissists will do anything to keep their spouses from leaving. Your Novi, MI divorce lawyer can help you by handling all communication with your spouse or his lawyer so that he will have less opportunity to try to convince you to stay.

Tips for Divorcing an Emotionally Abusive Narcissist

The divorce process can be more challenging when you are dealing with a narcissist who is not going to cooperate. Some tips that may help you successfully get through your divorce include:

• Get mental health support - Narcissists have a way of making their spouses feel unimportant or like they cannot do anything right. When narcissists are served with divorce papers, they can very convincingly act like loving and caring people who only want to help their spouses. Getting therapy for yourself can help you stand firm and begin to rebuild your confidence. 
• Let your attorney handle communication - Do not try to negotiate with your spouse or even talk to him about the divorce. All communication should go through your lawyer. You may want to block his number and social media profiles entirely so that he cannot contact you. However, if you are worried that he might threaten you, you may want to instead ask a trusted friend to read any communications your spouse sends you so that you can take action if he does. 
• Work with a guardian ad litem - If you have children, assume that your spouse will try to turn them against you. While having a guardian ad litem get involved can be intimidating, these highly trained individuals can almost always tell when one parent is manipulating the children.
• Be specific about acts of abuse - While it may be painful to recall specific instances of abuse, it is important to tell your attorney exactly what your spouse has done. Your attorney may be able to identify acts of abuse with legal significance. For example, you may not have recognized that your spouse committed domestic violence when he grabbed you by the arm to stop you from walking away from him. Something like that could be enough to get you a protection order. 

Contact an Oakland County, MI Divorce Lawyer 

Elkouri Heath, PLC is dedicated to protecting our client from their abusers during the divorce process. Our experienced Novi, MI divorce attorneys understand that divorce is as much an emotional process as it is a legal one, and we are here to offer support in any way we can. Contact us at 248-344-9700 for a complimentary consultation.