What if addictions issues are present?

For couples without children, the spouse without the addiction may need to give space to their spouse. It’s often best to “Let go and the let the other person make their own decisions.”

On the other hand, if substance abuse presents challenges to oneself, for example, liability risks, this must be addressed.

Addictions are most difficult to manage when clients raise children together. In such cases, treatment and sobriety might be a condition of shared residency. In early recovery or during a minor relapse, structuring a transition may be helpful, with more residency time as sobriety becomes more reliable.