Unfortunately, the sad truth of life is that not all marriages last forever. Sometimes the end of a relationship comes as a relief, and sometimes it comes as a shock: either way, those affected by a divorce will find that their lives have changed irrevocably. If a split is something your loved one is going through, here are some tips to help them through it.

Help Them Protect Themselves

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your loved one is legally protected. Often during divorces, couples decide to battle out certain matters between themselves so that they don’t need to pay legal bills, but this often means that one party gets shortchanged. Advise your friend to find a good lawyer – if you’re not sure where to start, look at online reviews. A lawyer will enable them to get what they’re entitled to and make sure that everything is fair.

Actively Help Out

A lot of the time, when someone is going through the trauma of a divorce, they may not know exactly what they need. A lot of people say ‘Let me know if there’s anything I can help with’, but your loved one may not know what they need help with, or they may not feel comfortable asking. Go over with homemade cake and a friendly ear, invite them over for dinner, insist on helping with housework, offer your babysitting services. Be proactive in your efforts to reach out and they will absolutely appreciate it when they can’t quite find the words to figure out what they want.

Make Sure You Listen

Often when someone is going through a split, it really helps to talk about it, so it’s important to make sure that you’re there for your loved one, whether it’s with coffee, a whole lot of carbs, or a bottle of wine. A lot of the time, people just need to vent, so your advice may not be wholly appreciated – just listen, offer advice only when it’s asked for, and be as supportive as possible. You may also want to suggest to your loved one that they seek out a counsellor. A divorce is a huge change in a person’s life that can affect the way they see everything, so therapy may help them get back on the right track by developing healthy coping mechanisms.

Have Some Fun

Finally, encourage your loved one to have some fun. A divorce is hard but it’s also like a rebirth – they can rediscover the parts of themselves that they stifled during their marriage. They loved camping but their spouse hated it? Excellent! Take your friend camping for a weekend so they can rediscover their passion. They love dogs but their ex was allergic to them? Suggest a trip to an animal shelter so they can adopt a pup in need of a loving family. The end of something can lead to the beautiful beginning of something else.

Relationship splits are hard, but your willingness to listen and to help will no doubt help your loved one going through a tough time.