<\/p>\n
For many of us, we\u2019re a year or two into what seems like an over-the-top, crazy-town separation before we learn it has a name: High Conflict (HC) Divorce.<\/p>\n
Knowledge is power and knowing the signs of a HC Divorce at the outset can help you make different choices, save your sanity and result in better outcomes for yourself and your children.<\/p>\n
I spoke with Kathleen Wells, lead partner at Wells Family Law<\/a>, about what typically identifies a file as HC and the best way for you as a client to manage your way through it.<\/p>\n How To Recognize A High Conflict Personality<\/strong><\/p>\n As a family lawyer who\u2019s represented everyone from legal aid clients through to multi-millionaires, Kathleen can attest there are no economic, cultural or gender barriers to entry when it comes to high conflict: it can be \u2013 and is \u2013 anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s definitely a high conflict personality type that you can recognize right away,\u201d says Kathleen:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/ul>\n Because HC personalities are fundamentally adversarial, they can be obsessively single-minded and ruthless in their efforts to \u201cwin.\u201d Attacks and challenges can feel relentless and the experience is mentally exhausting for clients and counsel alike. If you can afford it, Kathleen always suggests seeing a personal coach or therapist for support; if you can find one who specializes in HC behaviour, so much the better. A good counsellor can keep you emotionally balanced, help you make sense of your HC ex and provide soul-saving strategies to manage your relationship with them through divorce and beyond.<\/p>\n What A HC Divorce File Looks Like <\/strong><\/p>\n Beyond personality type, there are a few things that typically identify a HC file early on:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/ul>\n If Your Ex Is High Conflict <\/strong><\/p>\n All divorce is hard, but the HC experience can defy imagination. As Kathleen can attest, rarely is anything resolved efficiently, so it\u2019s wise to be prepared for that. \u201cHigh conflict personalities don\u2019t have the ability to self reflect to see how they might contribute to a problem, so it can be hard to make progress.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a HC ex, the number one thing Kathleen recommends to assure the best personal and legal outcomes in your divorce is \u201cget very knowledgeable, very quickly on the high conflict personality. Get as educated as you can in this area. You\u2019ll gain amazing perspective and insight that will be invaluable through your divorce and going forward.\u201d The High Conflict Institute<\/a> is a particularly excellent resource in this regard, available to everyone.<\/p>\n Kathleen encourages alternative dispute resolution when possible. As a rule, mediation is preferable to going to trial for both emotional and financial reasons; the process not only costs a lot less than court, but typically the whole divorce agreement can get done much more quickly. \u201cMost people are better served in private, working with a mediator or arbitrator. Court affidavits are part of the public record, which isn\u2019t great for most people.\u201d<\/p>\n While the HC personality isn\u2019t usually amenable to mediation at the outset, having their personal lives potentially made public can often be the tipping point in convincing them to participate, or at least try it. That said, HC personalities will work to destabilize and control your emotions through a variety of means including gaslighting, threats and humiliation – the HC ex rarely does the right thing easily. Proactively having a clear, strategic legal path for the discovery, disclosure and child custody processes ahead of time is a smart hedge.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dominiclevent.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/footer-300x100.png\")
<\/a>