Monthly Member Meeting | The Five Phases of Divorce Grief: How Divorce Professionals Can Be Most Effective in Each Phase

Join Oona Metz, a therapist, nationally recognized divorce expert and author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide For Women for this engaging talk. Divorce is not just a legal and financial process — it is also a profound psychological one.

Drawing from psychological research and real-world case studies, this talk equips divorce professionals with a practical framework for recognizing where a client is emotionally — from the initial stage of heartbreak to the emotional rollercoaster, through mending, letting go and finally, moving on. When professionals understand the grief process, they can anticipate resistance, reduce unnecessary conflict, improve communication, and protect both their client and their case from emotionally driven missteps.

Key Takeaways:

• Identify the Five Phases of Divorce Grief and the behaviors commonly associated with each
• Distinguish between “high-conflict” clients and “high grief” clients
• Learn communication strategies tailored to each emotional phase
• Reduce escalation and improve settlement outcomes through grief-informed advocacy
• Protect your time, boundaries, and professional effectiveness when working with emotionally overwhelmed clients

Speaker Bio:
Oona Metz is the author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women. Her book has been featured on The CBS Morning Show, in Time Magazine and on NPR’s Morning Edition. She is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Group Psychotherapist and a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Her writing has appeared in outlets including The Psychotherapy Networker, Psychology Today, Social Work Voice and the Los Angeles Review. She has 30 years of clinical experience and specializes in treating women navigating divorce. Oona leads three weekly Divorce Support Groups for Women and is the founder of the Beacon Group Fellowship, a program which trains mental health professionals across the country to lead divorce groups. She has given over 100 talks and workshops locally, nationally and internationally. 

**Guests are welcome to attend one Monthly Member Meeting. To attend again, we invite you to join our association**