The New Economy of Heartbreak

A photo showing a broken heartMany different businesses have at their core (or as a significant aspect) services and products addressing those breaking up, separating and divorcing.

Counsellors, divorce coaches, parenting experts, family law lawyers, mediators, collaborative law practitioners, financial planners, real estate agents and accountants are often somewhere in the mix of professionals that couples breaking up will pay to address some aspect of their separation or divorce.

In addition to these professions is an emerging area of business: those trying to help you heal through, work through and learn through your separation; get you in shape to move ahead; and most importantly to not slip back into bad relationship patterns. In addition, there are those emerging businesses that have products to address the final residue of a relationship that ends.

Once primarily in the realm of one on one sessions with therapists or counsellors, there are now businesses that provide a more holistic approach to the breakup that navigate the emotional, physical and psychological impacts of separation. There are breakup bootcamps, like Renew Breakup Bootcamp which offer spa like services (yoga, healthy meals, massages, etc.) mixed in with personal and group counselling and life and relationship coaching sessions. There are apps that allow you to rid yourself of all remnants of your ex-partner and their social media presence in your life – photos, links, etc. There are sites and blogs and apps dedicated to getting rid of or selling all of the gifts and items your ex-partner gave you during your relationship; one in particular called “I do now I don’t” helps you sell engagement and wedding rings and jewelry from your broken relationship. If you decide not to sell your wedding rings there are also wedding ring coffin boxes that can be purchased to give your wedding rings, as they say on their site, the “proper final resting place they deserve”. There are also apps like Mend with the tag line “we mend broken hearts” that calls itself “A Personal Trainer for Heartbreak”. There is also a Museum of Broken Relationships where you can donate items associated with your breakup. There is even a site called The Breakup Shop that helps people break up by selling you the template for an email and/or letter content for a breakup with your partner that is then sent on your behalf – they do the breaking up for you!

The heartbroken are willing to spend a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to heal from their suffering and then re-emerge stronger and more able to move on. There is a focus on empowering and decluttering from the fall out of a breakup.

When you want to celebrate your divorce there are even several websites and event planners that can specifically create a themed divorce party that suits your needs.

Modern businesses for modern times … getting over a heartbreak can be a difficult journey and sometimes you might just need some help along the way.

*The Business of Breakups TM does not endorse or recommend any of the following sites or links or the services or practices offered or promoted.

Zara Suleman practices family law and fertility law and is the founder of the law firm, Suleman Family Law. She is also a certified family law mediator and collaborative law practitioner. Zara has also been actively involved in presenting, training, writing and editing materials on family law issues. She has done extensive professional development and academic research in the areas of family violence, specifically violence against women and children. Prior to law school Zara was a front-line community advocate for over a decade, working extensively on issues involving violence against women and children, anti- racism, immigrant and refugee issues. Zara has had her short stories, poetry, articles and research accepted to various publications across Canada and the United States. Zara was awarded the 2018 Equality & Diversity Award from the Canadian Bar Association BC Branch. Zara's professional website is at - sulemanfamilylaw.com -