Best Ted Talks About Divorce

Going through a divorce can be a lonely, isolating time. You may be feeling embarrassed to admit that you are struggling, you may be looking for support or guidance, or you may need to know that you are not alone in your experience.

We understand. And we want to help you connect with the resources that can help you move forward and live your best, happiest life. Creating a connection with someone who has gone through a divorce can alleviate some of the stress and mental health struggles, making you feel less alone and isolated. 

If you are reluctant to speak with a friend or family member about your divorce, it may help to watch another person speak openly about their own experience, be it professional or personal. 

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Talks are a great way to immerse yourself into a deep discussion about divorce, and emotionally connect with the subject, without leaving yourself feeling too exposed. You can explore the TED website to learn more about TED Talks, search topics or speakers that best fit your needs. 

No matter where you are in the divorce proceedings, there is a TED Talk that can help. 

To make things easier for you, we’ve identified some of the best TED Talks on divorce and divided them into specific categories: the positives of divorce, children and divorce, the stress of relationships, and overcoming divorce. 

Read through the list, watch the talks, and let the healing begin!

TED Talks About the Positives of Divorce

Getting divorced can create an impenetrable barrier of sadness in your life. Sometimes, this toxic stress and despair can feel impossible to overcome. 

Taking in a TED Talk that discusses the positive aftermath of a divorce can lessen your negative feelings, and give you a new perspective and a little bit of hope. Here are a few we like:

How to Rock Your Divorce by Renee Williams

This TED Talk is great for: anyone who is feeling as though there is no life or happiness after divorce. 

This TED Talk approaches divorce from a lighter perspective. Williams looks at divorce as a way to restart your life and move forward in a happier and healthier way. She focuses on the understanding that divorce is sometimes a necessary step towards fully discovering what we want out of life and the importance of setting goals to get you there.

What You Don't Know About Marriage by Jenna McCarthy

This TED Talk is great for: anyone who is married and contemplating divorce, anyone who is overwhelmed by (unwarranted) marital advice and anyone getting a divorce that is needing a little lightness.

This TED Talk is a light look at wedding traditions and strange rituals. Additionally, Jenna McCarthy shares odd relationship research like this tidbit: children who smile in photos are less likely to get divorced later in life. 

This TED Talk may not convince you that divorce is the right answer but you will enjoy the humor and the frankness in the facts that are presented by McCarthy. 

This Talk is not all humor, it is informative and interesting and worth listening to. 

TED Talks About Children and Divorce 

If you are trying to help your kids through your divorce, you may find yourself dealing with behavior problems, new illnesses, or sadness and depression. 

Unless you are divorcing due to domestic abuse of any kind, your children’s health will benefit from the love and protection of both parents. 

These are our top picks for TED Talks about children and divorce:

The Impact of Divorce on Children by Tamara D, Afifi

This TED Talk is great for: anyone with children who is going through a divorce. While you may be giving your children a break by leaving a marriage full of conflict, you must also ensure that your children are coping well.

The dissolution of a marriage is hard on everyone but can be especially difficult when children are involved. 

Tamara D. Afifi tackles the impacts of divorce on children. She recognizes that children are not only affected by a dissolution of marriage in the short term but that many experience repercussions later in life. 

Afifi says that the divorce process can cause children to have low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression and that children of divorce tend to have higher divorce rates themselves.  

Afifi recognizes (from research) that children often feel torn between parents and provides information to parents to help children cope with these conflicts

Divorce, Separation: Love Your Children No Matter What by Herve D. Gwery

This TED Talk is great for: parents who are willing to work together to create two separate, loving homes for their child or children.

Herve D. Gwery discusses the importance of recognizing that divorce does not simply mean the ending of one family but that it can mean the formation of a new, happier family. 

Gwery speaks of parents wanting to continue providing their children with a safe environment to thrive and prosper, it just means doing it under two roofs, instead of one. 

Gwery wants to remind divorcing or separating parents to work together to ensure that your children know that you love them no matter what. This will foster healthy relationships between you, your children, and your former partner. 

One Dad's Mission to Rebuild Bonds Between Kids and Dads by Dwight Stitt

This TED Talk is great for fathers trying to establish or maintain a loving relationship with their children. This talk is encouraging to fathers who are in fear that a loss of full custody will mean a loss of a relationship. It is also a great listen for mothers that are looking to keep their children closely connected with their father.

Dwight Stitt talks about co-parenting after divorce in his TED Talk, “One Dad's Mission to Rebuild Bonds Between Kids and Dads.”

Many fathers lose time with their children after divorce, and Dwight Stitt encourages fathers to present and active in the lives of their children in order to maintain the bond. His solution is to return to the basics: be available, be present, plan activities, but most importantly just make time to be together. 

TED Talks About the Stress of Relationships

Being in a relationship with your spouse can create many different stressors. Effort and effective communication must be the focus of both parties or there will be a disconnect. 

Here are a few Talks that highlight the stressors of a marriage:

Rethinking Infidelity by Esther Perel

This TED Talk is great for: men and women that are trying to determine what has stopped working in their marriage. It is also useful for those looking to find bright spots, or moments of gratitude, for whatever relationship you still have with a former partner or spouse.  

Esther Perel has a different perspective than most on infidelity, suggesting that cheating can actually be a marriage saver. 

The whole theory lies in passion being built on the unknown, and this is why people cheat. Perel is a psychotherapist and thinks that an affair can reinvigorate a marriage, but doesn’t recommend cheating or being cheated on.

This Talk can provide perspective and understanding where it may have been lacking before. 

Do You Really Qualify for a Divorce? by Michelle Rozen

This TED Talk is great for: anyone who is evaluating ending their marriage. Similarly, this TED Talk is great for anyone looking to reconfirm the merits of divorce and/or marriage. 

Michelle Rozen, a psychologist, asks couples to evaluate divorce in the same way they came to be married, as a dual decision-making team.

In her Talk, Rozen challenges you to look at what caused the dissolution of your marriage, hoping that it can help make a clear decision on whether divorce is the only answer or whether a reconciliation is possible.

The result may not mean that you stay in the marriage, but it could be the difference between a contentious divorce and lifelong animosity or a friendly relationship.  

TED Talks for Overcoming Divorce

Divorce can feel like a real challenge to your very existence. But, as these TED Talks display, it does not have to be the end of all that you know. There is a way forward, and there is a way to be joyful again. 

Surviving Divorce by David Sbarra

This TED Talk is great for: people interested in the health-related consequences and benefits of maintaining social relationships. It is also great for anyone contemplating and exploring options other than divorce. 

David Sbarra guides couples toward deciding whether divorce is the correct solution to their marital troubles. 

Sbarra wants to help you heal after your divorce, by consciously choosing to welcome a happier life. He offers techniques for moving on through the pain. 

The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go by Jill Sherer Murray

This TED Talk is great for: anyone that is not able to see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet. It is also great for anyone that is looking for techniques for letting go and moving on.

Jill Sherer Murray speaks about the ending of her own relationship in order to demonstrate that there is such a thing as “wrong” and “right” relationships. 

She shares the five steps that helped her to let go, and create for herself a wonderful life and a new, loving relationship. In fact, this Talk demonstrates how letting go is the cornerstone of future happiness. 

Untie the Knot

At Untie the Knot, we are here to help guide you through the divorce process. 

We understand that this can be an extremely trying and sensitive time for you and your family. These TED Talks are a great place to start, and when you are ready, we have a wide range of resources available to help you navigate this daunting time. 

Reach out to see how we can support you in your divorce proceedings.