From the Book: Divorce Amicably
This is a chapter summary from Chapter 6 of  Divorce Amicably, a guide to navigating separation with dignity and cooperation.
Chapter 38 Author: Stephanie Robins
With over 20 years experience as a clinical social worker and family therapist, and as a graduate of University of Alabama specializing in Children, Adolescents, and Families, she is currently serving as private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Her areas of expertise are in Anxiety Disorders, ADHD Interventions, Infertility/Postpartum, Marital/Relationship, Play Therapy, Grief/Loss, Divorce Adjustment, & Parent Education.
In addition to being a prominent relationship and family therapist, Stephanie Robins, LCSW has presented at National conferences and to general audiences speaking on the topics of Parent Education, Anxiety Interventions with Children, Grief/Loss, Play Therapy, Divorce/Stepfamilies, and Anger/Stress Management.
Chapter 38's Framework for Dating During and After Divorce
The question of when to start dating again creates anxiety for nearly everyone navigating divorce—yet most advice either judges harshly or encourages recklessly. In this balanced chapter, licensed clinical social worker Stephanie Robins addresses the complex intersection of emotional readiness, legal implications, and children's wellbeing that determines whether dating helps or harms your divorce journey. She reveals how dating during divorce can provide emotional support and self-discovery, but also trigger legal complications and emotional chaos that derail both your case and recovery.
Robins provides a nuanced analysis of dating at different divorce stages, acknowledging that while some find healing through new connections, others use dating to avoid processing their emotions—a pattern that virtually guarantees future relationship failures. She addresses the practical realities often ignored in dating advice: how your dating life becomes evidence in custody battles, why children's adjustment timelines rarely match parents' readiness, and how societal pressure to "move on" pushes people into relationships before genuine healing occurs. Through self-assessment questions and timing considerations, this chapter helps you determine when dating represents healthy progress versus harmful distraction.
Essential Considerations from Chapter 38 About Dating
Who Needs Chapter 38's Dating Guidance
This chapter is essential for anyone feeling lonely during divorce and wondering if dating might help, those receiving pressure from friends to "get back out there," and parents trying to balance their own emotional needs with children's stability. It's crucial reading for those whose spouse is already dating and feeling competitive pressure to do the same.
Perfect for people unsure whether their desire to date represents healing or avoidance, those worried about legal implications of dating during proceedings, and anyone trying to determine when children are truly ready for new partners in their lives. Whether you're actively considering dating, being pursued by someone new, or simply wondering about future possibilities, Robins's framework helps you make decisions based on genuine readiness rather than loneliness, pressure, or revenge.
Get your copy of "Divorce Amicably" today and learn how to approach dating in ways that support rather than sabotage your healing—because using new relationships to avoid processing divorce pain simply postpones the inevitable reckoning while potentially damaging innocent hearts.
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