St. Albert & Sturgeon Primary Care Network

Coping With Divorce & Separation

Going through the process of a separation or divorce can be extremely stressful. Depending on your unique situation there are different options for support.

Things to Remember:

  • Recognize the impact that stress can have on you and ensure you are taking care of yourself in a positive way: exercise, nutrition, and social activities can all impact how much stress affect us.
  • For people with children, it is essential that both parents recognize the impact that conflict has on children. While conflict between you and your spouse may occur, it is important that children are left out of it and not exposed to ongoing conflict.

Resources for Individual Counselling

  • Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
    • Often available as part of your benefit package (different from extended health coverage)
    • Usually covers 6 -10 sessions with private psychologist through designated agency
    • Confidential and information can not be disclosed to employer
    • Clients should call their benefits department and ask for their EAP provider #
  • Private Practitioners
    • Self-pay or can be covered by extended health benefits or EAP plans
    • Costs typically range from $75 to $150 per hour - some may offer sliding scale fees
  • Psychologist Association of Alberta(780) 428-TALK (8255)
    • Offers free referral service
  • Alberta College of Social Workers(780) 421-1167
    • Will provide list of local social workers in private practice
  • Clergy at your church may be a source of pastoral counselling for support

Edmonton Counselling Agencies with Sliding Scales

  • Catholic Social Services - 8815 - 99 St.(780) 432-1137
  • The Family Centre - 20-9912 - 106 St.(780) 424-5580
  • Jewish Family Services - 202-10339 - 124 St.(780) 424-6346
  • Cornerstone Counselling Centre - 11111 Jasper Ave. (8R)(780) 482-6215
  • Hope Foundation - 11032 - 89 Ave.(780) 492-1222
  • Creating Solutions - 9690 - 182 St.(780) 414-0609
  • Pastoral Counselling Centre - 11111 Jasper Ave. (6R)(780) 482-8998
  • Centre for Family & Health Psychology - 9940 -106 St.(780) 421-1747
  • The Support Network - 301-11456 Jasper Ave.(780) 482-0198

For Situations of Family Violence

  • St. Albert S.A.I.F. (Stop Abuse in Families) Society(780) 460-2195
    • offers free individual and group counselling for people who are living in or leaving an abusive relationship
    • can assist with emergency protection orders and relocation funding applications

Support Groups/Workshops

  • Single Parent Workshop -Parent’s Place(780) 459-7377
    • one day workshop targeting positive solutions to the challenges of single parenting
  • Rainbows- Parent’s Place(780) 459-7377
    • Weekly support groups for parents and their children going through transitions from divorce, separation or death
    • For children ages 5 to 14 years and their parent(s)
    • Also offered at several other sites in Edmonton/Morinville through FFIT(780) 448-1180
  • Parenting after Separation Course - Alberta Justice & Attorney General(780) 413-9805
    • 6 hour course for people going through divorce or separation - Free
    • Covers issues related children: emotional, financial and legal
    • Mandatory for anyone going through courts for custody, maintenance and/or access
  • Focus on communication in Separation - Family Justice Services(780) 644-5092
    • 6 hour voluntary course on communication skills - Free
    • Covers issues related to resolving conflicts related to parenting after separation/divorce
    • educates re: decreasing effects of parental conflict on children
  • The Family Centre - 20-9912 - 106 St.(780) 917-8205
    • Offers regular courses related to parenting after divorce/separation:
      • Parenting through Shared Custody
      • Positive Single Parenting
      • Succeeding as a Step-Family
      • Sliding scale available
  • Catholic Social Services - The Journey of Grief(780) 420-6081
    • 10 week group program to help people cope with grief and loss from death, divorce or other losses
    • Approximately $250 – limited subsidies available
  • Helpful Reading Resources
    • Rebuilding: When Your Relationship Ends by Bruce Fisher
    • The Grief Recovery Workbook by John James & Russell Friedman
  • Books on parenting through divorce and separation
    • Parenting after Divorce - A Guide to Resolving Conflicts and Meeting Your Children’s Needs by Philip M Stahl
    • Helping Your Kids Cope with Divorce - The Sandcastles Way by M. Gary Neuman
  • Books for Children
    • Dinosaurs Divorce by Marc Brown
    • The Spider and the Bee by Michele Shen
    • It’s Not Your Fault Koko Bear by Lansky

Primary health care is the first point of contact with the health care system, where people receive care from family physicians, and from nurses, pharmacists, therapists and others for most of their everyday health care needs.