We’ve all heard of the proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child.” But did you know that it also takes a village to get through a divorce? Divorce is a tough process because while it is emotional and painful, it shouldn’t be rushed. The decisions you make in negotiating your divorce settlement will affect you and your children for years to come. But it can seem nearly impossible to set your emotions aside and negotiate logically and rationally, so what should you do?
Build a collaborative divorce team. If you thought divorce meant lawyering up and heading to court, it’s time for a reality check. The divorce process has developed over the years. Today, divorcing couples spend less on the expenses of litigation, and save by hiring a team of professionals to ensure they make the right choices for their future. So who should you include in your divorce team? Here is a list of three professionals that you will need to have in your circle:
(1) A Divorce Mediator: A Divorce Mediator will assist you and your spouse in communicating effectively on issues necessary to include in your divorce settlement. A Divorce Mediator is responsible for helping you identify and explore solutions on a variety of topics, like spousal support, property and financial division, child support and child custody. Even though your Divorce Mediator may be an attorney, she will not provide legal advice because her role is to serve as a neutral for both you and your spouse. For this reason, you’ll be encouraged to have two separate consulting attorneys.
(2) Two Collaborative Attorneys: You and your spouse will each need to consult with your own Collaborative Attorneys prior to finalizing your divorce settlement in order to answer any legal questions you may have and to ensure the agreement is proper. Be sure to use a Collaborative Attorney, as their focus is to promote peaceful divorce settlements reached outside of court.
(3) Two Divorce Coaches: Both you and your spouse will benefit from including a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), Psychologist, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who serves as a divorce coach to help you deal with the inevitable stress and emotional issues that accompany divorce.
Ensuring you have the right professionals working together will help both you and your divorcing spouse make thoughtful decisions with mutually beneficial long-term outcomes. Of course, there are other professionals like financial analysts, child specialists, mortgage advisors, and real estate appraisers who are instrumental in some divorces. Your Divorce Mediator will help you figure out what professionals you need to consult with based on the particulars of your divorce. Contact us today for a free initial consultation on what collaborative divorce professionals you need on your team.
