DC and MD Matrimonial Lawyer Focusing on Custody, Divorce and Prenups
For over 20 years, Regina A. DeMeo has been helping families in MD and DC with custody and divorce issues either through mediation, litigation or advocacy. She is an alumna of Georgetown University and GW University Law School, who is nationally recognized as a top matrimonial attorney. She is frequently quoted in the media for her ideas to promote healthier relationships and featured in the Washington Post, ABA Journal and Bethesda Magazine for her care and commitment to her clients. As a legal commentator, she has appeared on Washington Post Express Facebook Live, ABC tv, Good Morning America, MMCTV, YouTube and Sirius XM, and has been quoted in various magazines, books and journals across the country.
Regina offers appointments in Maryland and DC. Her areas of practice include:
Latest Blog Posts by GenXSmartie
Filling the Void in Our Lives
Throughout the years, I have encountered so many people who have tried to fill certain voids in their lives with shopping, drugs, alcohol, expensive trips, affairs or amassing fortunes. I too have been guilty of trying to find ways to avoid the emptiness, which is created whenever we lose someone special to us either through a parting of ways or death. After such an event, it is natural to feel a hole in your heart, but rather than avoid the source of the pain, what we need to do is identify the problem and try to find a solution. The one thing I always craved in life was having a family. When I got married and had my son, I thought I finally had it all. Little did I realize that as my son would grow, all the unresolved issues from my past buried deep inside me would rise to the surface and require my attention. Seeing my son with his father made me realize, quite painfully, what I had missed in my own youth. Then, as he began to ask more questions about the family history, it became clear to me that I would have to find a way to get some answers. Opening Pandora's box has been quite an experience, but I am eternally grateful to my son [...]
Father’s Day, From an Different Perspective
For years, Father's Day was just like any other day to me. Only after I became a mother did I truly begin to appreciate first-hand the bond between a child and his/her father. After my divorce, for many years this holiday brought up mixed feelings for me-- I was so happy my son could enjoy having his father in his life, yet so sad that we could not all stay together as an intact family. Whatever feelings the holidays may conjure up in my clients, I always counsel them to encourage their minor children to acknowledge their fathers on Father's Day, along with every other holiday, by getting a card at a minimum, and if possible a gift. In the end, no matter how much some might resent their ex-spouses, they have to admit that they once loved that person and as a result of that love a child was produced.This Father's Day, for the first time in ages, there are no mixed feelings for me. I have finally found the answers to questions that have plagued me for a lifetime. By understanding my maker, the one in whose image I was created, I have gained tremendous ground in becoming more self-aware, and more importantly for the first time in my life, I have found true acceptance.
Rebuilding A Life Post-Divorce
Most studies show that it will typically take a person 2-5 years to rebuild his/her life after a divorce. During that time, most will re-marry-- in fact 75% of men once married will do so again, as will two-thirds of women. Unfortunately, some will just jump into a relationship without taking the time to grieve the loss of their first marriage, or think about what when wrong and what should be done differently the next time around. For those of us who are used to being in a relationship and sharing our every day lives with someone, it is all too tempting to just want to be part of a unit once again, but there is some merit to reining in that desire to make sure you are making the right choices. Having figured out the parts of my past life that I really want back versus the parts that I do not miss, I am now very clear on the partner I would need to find in order to build a new life with someone else-- and I have come to accept that it is also okay to envision a life without a significant other. Many thought that I would have been remarried by now, six years post-divorce. To be honest, I would have thought so too, except I [...]
Dealing with Divorce and Depression
In law school, I wish I had taken a class in psychology that would have given me some tips on how to help my depressed clients. Instead, I learned this skill using the "trial by fire" approach. Over time, I learned that the dependant spouses without any new love prospects waiting in the wings would be the most likely to come into my office suffering from depression. There are plenty that might never have had an episode of depression before, but when faced with the traumatic event of a divorce, they could develop what is termed "situational depression." I am not a psychologist, and although I have read many psych books, attended numerous seminars, and worked with some of the best mental health professionals in the DC Area over the past decade, it is simply beyond my abilities to act as a therapist for my divorce clients. I can, however, recognize the symptoms of depression, and will often encourage individuals to seek the advice of a mental health professional. Before making any referrals, I do try to normalize the feelings by explaining to people that is quite common to experience some depression when they are: 1. under stress; 2. dealing with loss; 3. experiencing financial pressures; 4. feeling alone/lacking a good support group; and/or 5. unsure about the future. Going [...]