Poor communication is one of the top reasons listed for divorce in the greater Washington, D.C., area. If this was the main complaint during your marriage, you may be wondering how you will be able to communicate while going through your divorce and afterward.
Verbal and nonverbal communicating
Communication is the way in which you deliver a message to someone else. This can be accomplished using words and also without speaking at all. Verbal communication is what you say while nonverbal communication is everything you say with your body language.
Nonverbal communication can include signals like rolling your eyes, crossing your arms or turning your back to a person. All these indicate that you are not interested in what is being presented to you. It is easy to convey these feelings without realizing it, especially during your divorce.
On the other hand, actively listening, nodding and standing openly will signal to the other person that you value what they have to say. Interestingly enough, not speaking is also a form of communicating. In essence, you are telling the other person you simply do not care about the conversation.
Communicating effectively during divorce
Although it may feel counterintuitive, communication can get easier once you’ve decided to separate. The barriers of old issues or mistakes no longer keep you from getting directly to the point, and it can be a relief to be free of emotional expectations.
Your post-divorce communication should only focus on the business at hand, such as parenting time with your children or dividing assets. This doesn’t mean you have to be abrupt or unfriendly.
The THINK acronym is always a good place to start if you aren’t sure how to approach a subject. Make sure whatever you are about to say is “true,” “helpful,” “inspiring,” “necessary” and “kind” before starting a conversation with your ex-spouse.