“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and natural valuing.” Rollo May
In working with hundreds of families over the years, we’ve frequently observed that there’s usually a communication breakdown long before the word “divorce” is even mentioned. Having serious conversations with your partner whether they be about finances, sex, in-laws, or how to raise the kids is tough. And many tend to remain silent on touchy issues, either to preserve peace, to protect one’s spouse’s feelings, or out of guilt.
It also doesn’t help that the stigma surrounding divorce has proved to be crippling for many experiencing marital difficulties, which can result in further shame and even more silence. But it is in this silence that divorce has been allowed to become the proverbial elephant in the room.
For many years and for many people, divorce has been a taboo subject, a topic one shouldn’t discuss openly, as if it were contagious and might infect the marriage by doing so. Often, rather than sympathy and understanding, you might receive a shake of the head in pity or judgment. It meant failure, and, somewhere along the line, became an ugly, dirty word that prompted fear.
But we believe there’s a better way.
Earlier this summer, we announced two special Wevorce events: “Changing Divorce for Good: Town Hall Conversations,” which were held in Boise, Idaho and Colorado Springs. During these events, Wevorce Founder and CEO Michelle Crosby led the conversations, with the intent of helping attendees find answers to their questions, define their needs, and better understand the divorce process.
Following the Town Halls, we also brought in a researcher who scheduled two full days of private, one-on-one discussions with community members individuals who had either been divorced, were going through a divorce, or were contemplating divorce. These were key steps toward facilitating some of the tough conversations, and the insights we gained were invaluable.
During these conversations, we were able to confirm a few understandings we previously had about divorce. But, more importantly, we gained insight into how the entire process of uncoupling is changing, and how we can better help our customers and the divorced community at large as we move forward.
Many members spoke openly of a need for support and community, which made us realize: something still needs to change.
Wevorce wants to be that change.
There’s no denying that new technologies have completely changed the way we communicate. For one thing, the rise of social media now challenges us to rethink how, how often, and how deeply we connect with people even our own partners.
Then we began to think about marrying modern communication tools with the need for support and community. Why not use technology in a way that allows us to enhance and deepen those connections specifically, our connections with you? While we greatly enjoyed connecting personally with everyone who joined us at the Boise and Colorado Springs Town Hall events, we wondered if there was a way to allow people all over the U.S. to share in those personally enriching and eye-opening conversations.
So, as a follow-up to our Town Hall events, we will be holding a series of Facebook LIVE conversations, beginning in August 2016. The first conversation is about “Changing Divorce for Good” the same topic discussed during the Town Hall events, giving anyone who wasn’t able to attend in person the opportunity to join in via Facebook.
These conversations will again help address stigmas and expectations related to divorce today, and how we might change the outdated business of divorce built on 20th century assumptions and expectations. This event will be designed to guide those who are thinking about getting a divorce, have recently gone through a divorce, or know someone who has been affected by divorce.
A few of the topics we will discuss include:
- How the end of a marriage can be seen as the evolution of a relationship, not the end of a family.
- Why you are your own best negotiator when it comes to the future of your family.
- How a WE mindset is much better than a ME attitude.
- Why longer lifespans require more flexibility and the ability to allow for the evolution of relationships.
- How Wevorce can give you more control over the outcome of your divorce.
We will be answering questions as they roll in during the Facebook LIVE event. If you’d like to attend but wish to remain private, feel free to send us a Facebook message in the meantime with any questions you’d like to see addressed.
To attend, follow these steps:
- Make sure you are a fan of Wevorce on Facebook.
- Subscribe to our events, and stay tuned for an official announcement.
- Send us your questions before the event if you’d prefer.
- Log in to Facebook ten minutes prior to the scheduled time and stay tuned for a Facebook notification to alert you the event is beginning.
During the event, we invite you to participate freely when you feel so inclined and share your thoughts on questions asked of the audience. This form of open communication will help us all to share and connect in a meaningful way. With grace, patience, and increasing understanding, we are poised to continue changing divorce for good.
We hope you’ll join us in August. Stay tuned for more details!
