CONSCIOUS DIVORCE: Ending a Marriage with Integrity—A Practical and Spiritual Guide for Moving On

Divorce manuals usually focus on self-protection when it comes to either finances or emotional trauma, and end abruptly at the final legal decree. Allison, who remarried after leaving her first husband five years ago, after almost 30 years of marriage and motherhood, takes a different approach in her first book. A hypnotherapist, reiki master, ordained minister and workshop facilitator, Allison offers a unique blend of important practical information for every stage of marital breakup, support for long-term emotional upheaval, advice for dealing with lawyers, mediators, friends and family and the view that "marital bonds are never completely severed" (the relationship simply changes). Recognizing the long process as "not just the tremendous loss of another person; it is the loss of the dream you have believed since childhood," she details the possibility of proceeding with respect, compassion and love for everyone involved, including yourself, from the first inkling of a separation to the mixed memories that resurface even years later. Influenced by A Course in Miracles, 12-step programs, transcendental meditation and various religious principles, Allison supplies writing exercises and affirmations, allays fears with solid information and counsels anyone contemplating, undergoing or reflecting on divorce to forgive yourself and others and move forward with a loving, lighter heart. While her lament of "society's critical view of divorce" may seem dated, her positivist approach—including "positive terminology and concepts that show continued health rather than demise"—is fresh, offering a welcome antidote to perceptions of adversarial lawyers and hateful ex-spouses. Agents, Anne Edelstein and Laura Williams, Edelstein Literary Agency. (June 12)