Cutting Loose is an upbeat and inspiring book for and about women who feel trapped in unsatisfying relationships and want out. Applewhite shatters the misleading image of the lonely, deprived, and financially strapped divorcee that the media in this country have imposed on all of us. The fifty women portrayed here have thrived after leaving their unhappy marriages. Varying in age, race, class, and predicament, they - like the author - initiated their own divorces and.

Found, much to their surprise, that their fears of financial, emotional, and romantic ruin were not realized; on the contrary, the quality of their lives improved immeasurably and their belief in themselves was strengthened. Cutting Loose answers questions of crucial importance to any woman contemplating ending a relationship: How do you finally decide to make the big break? What is getting divorced really like? What are the shortcomings of the legal process? What are.

The effects of being the initiator? What are the different ways to work it out (the pros and cons of being conciliatory)? What about custody and child support? What about financial and emotional survival? How does a woman's self-image change during and after divorce?