A divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotionally-charged life events you’ll ever face. However, it’s also when you need to make a number of decisions that can impact your finances, your relationship with your children and other aspects of your life for many years. It’s hard to make wise decisions when you’re emotionally (and perhaps physically) exhausted.
That’s where a divorce coach can help. Your family law attorney can guide you through the legal process, and your financial advisor can help you make sound decisions regarding your money and assets. A certified divorce coach can be a valuable addition to your team because they can help you seek the best outcomes in the divorce. In fact, many legal and financial professionals prefer it when their client has a divorce coach because they’re better able to devote their time to what they do best.
What do divorce coaches do?
Certified divorce coaches can help you in a variety of ways. They can:
- Explain the divorce process and what to expect.
- Help you gather and organize financial records and other documents needed by the lawyers, financial adviser or accountant.
- Explain the various types of custody arrangements and parenting plans.
- Help you envision what your goals are for the divorce and your post-divorce future so you can create a plan to accomplish them.
- Mentally prepare you for what to expect in negotiations with your spouse, in court and in other challenging aspects of adapting to co-parenting or living alone.
- Help you avoid common pitfalls like making decisions based on anger, revenge or pressure from your spouse or family.
- Help you see your spouse’s side of things so that you can be better prepared to compromise — if that’s what’s best — particularly when it comes to your children.
- Improve your communication skills
A divorce coach isn’t a therapist. They help people get organized in the practical aspects of divorce and help them organize their thoughts and emotions as well. They can assist with overcoming fears and obstacles so people can seek what they need for themselves and, if they’re parents, what’s in their children’s best interests.
If you think that a certified divorce coach might help you better navigate your divorce, your family law attorney likely knows one or more in your area who would be a good fit for your needs.
