Maintaining Leverage in a Divorce with a Narcissist

Narcissists crave power and always have a plan to gain the upper hand in every aspect of their life, including marriage. The need for control is part of their ‘narcissistic supply,’ defined as anything that feeds their ego. This supply can include relatively normal wants, such as money, compliments, or success. However, narcissism can also lead to more sinister actions, including partner intimidation, verbal threats, or even physical assault.

If you are divorcing a narcissist in Georgia, leverage is the most important aspect in successfully navigating negotiations or family courtroom battles. Dedicated legal support can secure a sense of authority to put you in an offensive rather than defensive position. Contact our firm for help maintaining leverage in a divorce with a narcissist.

What is Leverage in a Divorce?

Simply put, leverage is the power to influence people and get what you want. In a divorce with a narcissist, this influence may be crucial in maintaining control of the divorce process and motivating your ex-spouse to negotiate with you. Leverage can be gained in various ways.

A savvy attorney can work with a Georgia resident on a tailored strategy to maintain leverage against their narcissistic partner in a divorce.

Identify the Narcissistic Supply

To effectively maintain leverage, it is important to assess where your ex-spouse receives their narcissistic supply. Once you are aware of what they really want and will go to any lengths to get, you will be better prepared to control the terms of your divorce.

For example, a narcissist who needs constant admiration from others will often seek out ostentatious personal possessions to support their inflated sense of self-worth. In this scenario, leverage could be gained by jeopardizing their access to certain property. This could be achieved by asking the Georgia court to order the sale of these items, rather than allowing your spouse to keep them. If the narcissist is aware that you have some control over the disposition of their property, they may be more open to negotiation and a fair resolution of the divorce.

Control the Georgia Court Process

In a court setting, narcissists often feed their egos by violating court orders, ignoring courtroom procedures, and refusing to disclose financial information. In this case, whatever you can do to force their compliance with the Georgia court process becomes your leverage.

One tactic may be requesting that a judge sanction your narcissistic spouse for their noncompliance, including payment of your legal fees. If your spouse is financially penalized for their disobedient behavior, they may be less inclined to continue litigating the divorce and more open to compromise.

Do Not Let the Narcissist Control You

In addition to demanding legal compliance, you must stand up against your ex-spouse to maintain control of yourself. Because narcissists gain a sense of importance from criticizing, demeaning, or devaluing you, whatever you do to inhibit those behaviors and assert your self-worth will help you maintain leverage in the divorce. Work with an attorney who can aggressively represent your interests and prevent the narcissist from dominating the divorce process.

Consult a Persistent Attorney to Maintain Leverage in a Divorce with a Narcissist

It is important to remember that for most reasonable people, ‘winning’ in a divorce is generally receiving what is fair and moving on with their lives. For a narcissist, this is not always true. Narcissists want to fight and may consider ‘winning’ to be manipulating and terrorizing you. As such, building leverage and using it when necessary is the best way to effectively manage your divorce.

Divorce is already a difficult process. A narcissistic ex-spouse can make the entire experience even more challenging. Before you file for divorce, take the appropriate amount of time to prepare yourself by aligning yourself with a skilled attorney. Our law firm has experience maintaining leverage in divorces with narcissists, and one of our lawyers can help you identify what is feeding your spouse’s ego and cut off that supply. Call today to regain control of your divorce.