Divorce:

Abstract

This article approaches divorce from a combined family systems, individual life cycle and stage theory of development perspective. It posits that the choice of what kind of therapy is apt to be most efficient and most efficacious for any patient/couple should be made after identifying at what stage in the divorce process the person(s) is/are in when they enter treatment and what their respective ego strengths, cognitive functioning, and social and resource networks are. There is an assumption of flexibility in the therapist's style and philosophic orientation. It is recommended that therapy encompass interventions that are likely to be the most effective in the various stages rather than be a rigid adherence to one dogma. Several illustrative case vignettes are presented.