Divorcing a parent Book

	Introduction: My Own Decision to Divorce--and Yours	1
Part 1	To Divorce or Not to Divorce	7
Chapter 1	Anatomy of a Divorce	9
	It's Not So Easy to Forgive	10
	Your Needs Are Important	12
	Divorce Is Divorce	14
	Looking for Reasons in All the Wrong Places	17
	You Have a Choice	23
Chapter 2	When Right Is on Your Side	25
	When Your Parent Is Hypercritical	25
	When Your Parent Is Manipulative and Controlling	27
	When Your Parent Continues to Abuse You	28
	When Your Parent Continues to Deny the Truth	29
	Breaking the Cycle of Abuse	30
	Choosing Sobriety or Abstinence over Your Parents	33
	Breaking the Codependency Habit	34
	When It's Either You or Them	36
	When Your Parent Won't Accept Your Lifestyle	37
	Needing to Separate	38
	When It's Just Too Late	47
Chapter 3	Is Divorce the Healthy Choice for You?	51
	Reviewing Your Past	53
	Separating the Past from the Present	56
	Releasing Your Anger	57
	Listening to Your Inner Voice	62
	Physical and Emotional Clues	66
	Before You Decide to Divorce	69
Chapter 4	Preparing Yourself for Divorce	83
	Preparing Your Inner Child	83
	An Emotional Dress Rehearsal	91
	Your Supporting Cast	93
Part 2	Making the Divorce Final	97
Chapter 5	Coping with External and Internal Critics	99
	How to Handle Pressure from Others	99
	Your Own Worst Critic: How to Handle the Pressures from Within	113
Chapter 6	Divorcing Without a Lawyer: The Mechanics of Divorce	123
	The Formal Declaration	124
	Divorcing a Parent after He Has Divorced You	128
	Divorcing Your Entire Family	130
	Divorcing a Parent Who Has Died	134
Chapter 7	Letting Go: The Process of Emotional Divorce	137
	Mourning the Loss of Your Parent	140
	Unresolved Grief	151
	Completing the Grieving Process	152
Chapter 8	New Beginnings and Happy Endings	155
	New Beginnings	155
	Happy Endings	158
Appendix 1	To the Divorced Parent	167
Appendix 2	To Mates, Friends, and Other Loved Ones	175
Appendix 3	To Therapists	181
	References, Recommended Reading, and Resources	185
	Index	189