Food and friendly chat for divorced ladies group

A group of women in the US have decided to jointly convalesce after their individual divorces by supporting each other through fun-filled nights of socialising.

Ladies Night Out is a group of divorced women from Oakland County, Michigan, and the women involved meet up once a month to discuss a plethora of topics, including children, careers and relationships.

The group was started by Inez Garfield, a real estate property manager who is also a councillor. Following her own divorce 11 years ago, she decided that a good way to tackle the emotional healing process would be to talk with other women who were experiencing the same things she was.

Speaking to the Detroit Free Press, Ms Garfield said: "So many women have been married forever and don't know what to do [once they become divorced]. They really have not had a chance just to know who they are.

"The friends you had when you were married - they can't even relate to you. You're going through all this turmoil, and they don't want to hear about it, I know, I was petrified. I needed to talk."

The group also organises more in-depth events at the houses of member, where they discuss the deeper feelings and difficulties often associated with divorce.

Ms Garfield added: "We sort of coach them through it. And we tell them, 'You will survive', that really is the point of our group."