
Divorce
Divorce Recovery Therapy in Downers Grove, IL
Are you considering divorce or separation? Struggling to come to terms with a recent divorce? Has it left you feeling angry or despondent? Just as marriage is one of life’s most significant experiences, so is divorce. Recovering can be difficult, but it is not impossible, and you don’t have to go through it alone.

Divorce recovery therapy can help if you feel
- Unresolved hostility or resentment toward your former spouse
- Upset about a partner’s infidelity, addiction, or other destructive behavior
- That your former partner didn’t give the marriage a chance
- Loneliness, or worry that you won’t find love again
- Guilt about things you did or didn’t do in your marriage
- Grief or depression about the end of the marriage
- Stress or anxiety about finances, housing, or co-parenting
Why unresolved divorce pain resurfaces
Working one-on-one with a therapist, you can learn to accept and address feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, guilt, or depression and find positive outlets for them. If these feelings are left unresolved, they tend to surface later in life and affect you in unexpected and negative ways: in new relationships, in parenting, in your health. Therapy helps you process these emotions in a healthy way so that you can move past this moment of pain and build forward.
What divorce recovery looks like
Divorce recovery therapy gives you the power to reclaim your life by helping you grieve the loss of your marriage and partner so that you can be healed and restored. Together we will look at what contributed to the breakdown of the marriage and what you can do to strengthen your relationships going forward.
- Grief work for the marriage, the identity, and the future you planned
- Managing anger and resentment so they stop running the show
- Co-parenting communication and boundaries with a former spouse
- Anxiety about finances, housing, and starting over
- Rebuilding self-worth and confidence
- Support for children and families when the whole household is adjusting
When addiction or illness is part of the story
Many marriages end in the wake of a partner’s substance use or a serious illness that changed everything. As a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor with oncology social work training, I understand those particular griefs and can help you make sense of guilt, relief, and anger that don’t fit a tidy narrative.
The start of a new chapter
It is painful to go through a divorce, but you can find a path to healing. While divorce is the end of one chapter, it is also the start of a brand-new one. You have a whole lot of life and living yet to do. Give the office a call and let’s set up a time to talk.
Frequently asked
Questions about divorce recovery therapy
Many clients begin during the process, when decisions are hardest and emotions are highest. Therapy during a divorce helps you think clearly, communicate with your attorney and former spouse more effectively, and protect your children from unnecessary conflict.
Why clients choose Affirm Behavioral Health
Dual-specialty care for mental health and substance use, with medical insight most therapists don’t offer.
Christine Stryjewski is both a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor, with advanced oncology social work training and years of experience in medical care. That means anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and medical stress can be treated together in one coordinated plan.
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Ready to talk about divorce recovery?
Reaching out can feel difficult, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. Request a free 15-minute consultation or call the office today.


