Dealing with a separation is a lot like breathing badly - you take short, shallow breaths, sometimes they come fast and furious and yet, you never truly fill your lungs.  Poor breathing, just like a chaotic, toxic separation, exposes you to making decisions based on emotion rather than common sense and reason. None of this is helpful to you - more than likely, it will lead to poor outcomes for you and your children and, at the very least, prolong the process of tidying up all issues arising out of your separation.
At our offices, we encourage both our clients (and pass on the same message to the other side):

1.  To remain as calm as possible and try to separate emotion from decision-making. 

2. To be mindful of their circumstances, both "the good and the bad", and to practice self-acceptance and self-compassion.

3. To seek professional, counselling assistance if our client feels overwhelmed and unable to make reasoned decisions and choices based on legal advice.

4. To be mindful of their circumstances, both "the good and the bad", and to practice self-acceptance and self-compassion.

5. To rely on support networks, including those offered by family, friends and support-groups.

6. To be mindful of their circumstances, both "the good and the bad", and to practice self-acceptance and self-compassion.

7. In assessing the actions and positions of their separating spouse, to do the best possible (given the actual circumstances of the case) to limit judgment and emotion.  For many spouses, separation is a traumatic, sometimes life-altering event - we understand and accept that - the sooner our client is able to complete the steps required to finalize all issues arising out of a separation, the sooner they will be able to move on and heal.

(yes, we do realize we repeated the same point three times)

NOT EVERY FAMILY LAW CASE ENDS UP IN COURT  - you have a number of options on how to handle your separation, which do not involve Court. Call us to find out more about those options.