New Year’s Separation or New Year’s Resolutions

Whilst many of us welcomed 2022 with excitement and thoughts of New Year’s resolutions or goals we wish to achieve, there are also many of us struggling with the state of our couple relationship and close to ending it.

New Year’s Separation

This is no surprise for family lawyers who traditionally see an increase in client numbers in January with high numbers of partners seeking legal advice for how to separate. Some lawyers see an increase of 30%. For family lawyers, January is traditionally known as ‘Divorce Month’, and this usually begins in the second week of January when many of us head back to work after the Christmas break.

Therapists are also typically inundated at this time too. I know in my clinic we always experience a huge spike in clients contacts, and many of these are related to partners having increased depression, anxiety, or loneliness relating to issues in their couple relationship.

What we don’t know is whether this New Year will be any different. Many lawyers have already experienced these spikes following the lifting of Covid restrictions and lockdowns. Therapists similarly saw major spikes last year, as Covid-related anxiety, depression, and stressors pushed many more people to seek help. I hope this January is different, as relationships have already been heavily tested during the pandemic.

I’m not against couples separating. No-one walks in anyone else’s shoes and can determine just how unhappy they are in their relationship. I do, however, believe we need to try everything to fix it before leaving, especially if there are children involved. Sadly, there are many relationships that could have been saved if partners knew how to get the right help.

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