Another common mistake you must not make is to allow the other side’s head games to bother you. Before you embark on a divorce or custody fight, even before you go lawyer hunting, take an emotional inventory. Do you feel scared, angry, weak, powerful, afraid, confused? If you feel angry and powerful, that’s great. If you feel weak, afraid, or confused, you need to get your thoughts organized and make a plan so you can start to feel less so.

If you want (and can afford) the help of a therapist, by all means, explore this option, as long as your lawyer has no objections. Align yourself with friends, neighbors, family, support groups, spiritual counselors, parents of your children’s friends, and anyone else you can think of. Remember that roughly half of all marriages end in divorce. You are not the only one going through this. There are people out there who have been where you are, or are where you are, who can help you. They can say and do things that will help you maintain a positive attitude.

It is up to you to ask for help when you need it and to take care of yourself as the battle rages. Think of yourself as a football player. When a play-off game is approaching, football players eat right and exercise. They eliminate distractions from their lives so they can train for the big game. They analyze the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and plan a strategy accordingly. They don’t cower in fear and fantasize about the worst. Rather, they ready themselves for the fight. This is how you should approach your lawsuit. One thing you can do to prepare yourself for the fight ahead is to anticipate the four most common mind-manipulation techniques employed by divorcing spouses: