End of Relationship (Divorce) Ceremonies

A Pride Ceremonies®  End of Relationship Ceremony recognises that the end of a relationship, regardless of who made the choice, and, while a difficult transition is also an opportunity for growth. The ceremony validates the past and honours the future. It can, therefore, be a very positive way to honour everything that was good in the relationship, to recognise that it was not a mistake even though things have now changed, and pave the way for both parties to move forward on their now-separate paths. It is therefore as much a ceremony of release as it is an acknowledgement of separation. It helps cleanse past negativity, declares your independence, and promotes acceptance. It does so by marking a significant change: release from deep commitment to the former partner.

The ceremony is specifically designed to intentionally transform the experience into a stepping stone. It assists in dis-identification as a partner, declares your intention to reweave your life into something new and spotlights your personal path forward by means of a formal ceremony in which you close the door on the old, and, with  support of family and friends, acknowledge and celebrate your new status.

Single-partner ceremonies can be healing, and these constitute over half of the end of relationship ceremonies held. However, the ideal ceremony is one where both parties are present. Not only is there great potential for positive closure in this latter form, it can also be extremely helpful in calming fears and assuaging guilt of the children of the relationship as it can help them understand that while their parents have agreed not to live together, they are not being abandoned, that they are loved by both parents and that the breakdown of the relationship is not their fault.

While your Divorce Ceremony or End of Relationship Ceremony can include elements of "uncommitment" but it is not, per se, the reverse of your Marriage Ceremony or of your Commitment Ceremony.

The ceremony will include both acknowledgement and releasing of the past as well as formal releasing of yourself and one another from the relationship.

It is critical that, underlying your divorce, separation, or end of relationships ceremony is built on a very deep and comprehensive understanding of the psychological processes involved. More than any other type of ceremony it is essential that you choose a celebrant who is skilled as a celebrant, committed to ensuring that your ceremony is healing and positive, and who has a deep understanding of the psychological harm that can be done by an inadequate ceremony and by the process of developing the ceremony.

I hold a degree in Psychology, and in depth experience of the needs of separating couples together with high-levels skills and experience as a celebrant.