professional partnerships with attorneys

a good collaboration

As professionals, we want the best for people. And in the difficult process of divorce, we care about the well-being of the kids involved almost as much as their families do. 

When family law attorneys and mental health professionals work together to support and guide couples through the divorce process, the resulting framework is invaluable. We provide clients with the two most important bodies of information they need to navigate the divorce experience successfully and sustainably: the legal framework and the relational strategies.

child specialist

Most divorcing parents that attorneys and therapists work with are busting their tails to do the best they can by their kids in the process of divorce. As we know, decisions made during divorce affect the kids, and the kids deserve a voice.

It can be difficult, though, for parents to communicate effectively with their kids about what the kids see and need throughout the process, for lots of reasons.

• Kids really want their parents to be ok, so they sometimes say things that they think their parents want to hear. That can get in the way of kids speaking fully and authentically to their parents. 

• Since kids don’t (and shouldn’t!) understand marriage and adult relationships, it can be hard for parents to sort out what the kids really “get” and what they don’t. 

• The concerns kids have about their own well-being are often different than what parents assume or expect, which sometimes makes it hard for the parents to really hear the kids. 

This is where a good therapist can help.

As therapists, we are trained to understand child development, and we are great at putting kids at ease. We work both compassionately and efficiently with the kids in order to solicit, interpret and translate their perspectives. We are also trained in the process of divorce mediation, so we understand the context. We enjoy contributing positively to the process by meeting with the kids to draw out their input. 

Situations are often complicated, which is why as therapists, we enjoy our collaborations with attorneys, too. We love having the shared goal of best possible outcomes for the kids. And discussion from our different professional perspectives helps create a more complete picture of possible solutions for sorting out challenging legal and personal dynamics. Together, we work together to find creative ways to facilitate best possible outcomes for families.

co-parenting guidance

When parents in two separate households are in conflict about matters the court isn’t going to weigh in on, we are available to meet for a session or two to help them reach an understanding. 

While parents may not come to an agreement on doing things the same way - things like screen time or swimming lessons - we can help them understand each other to reduce conflict. And if there’s just too much conflict about those types of things, we can help guide them towards parallel parenting, all the while supporting and expanding their understanding of the many types of parenting that allow kids to thrive.

We’re happy to work with families in this way over time, whenever concerns come up. If the co-parents can’t agree on the timing for sharing a holiday, or how to trade placement time when an event comes up, we can schedule a session to discuss the matter at hand. Once we know a family and the details of their concerns, it’s easy to reconnect with them to help smooth rough moments, as needed.

mediation

Working with a mental health professional trained in mediation and collaborative divorce, we can support families throughout the transition from one to two households. We help clients feel they have a safe, supported launch into the difficult process of divorce, and we’re available in the long term, too, for any co-parenting concerns that come up down the road.

We are available to support people in the uncertainty that arises in the decision to separate, and can help parents organize their lives to facilitate the transition from separation to divorce and parenting in separate households. 

We can support at the beginning of the mediation process, to guide parties through their parenting plan decisions. We draw up a complete, formal Memorandum of Understanding that you can incorporate into the MSA. 

When families have a conflict later on, in their separate households, they can return to mediation for a one-time meeting that provides guidance and resolution. If there are more formal decisions to be made, such as a change in ongoing placement, we can carry out post-settlement mediation, and draft a Memorandum of Understanding.

parent coordination

When a family is in conflict beyond what can be worked out through counseling or mediation, we can assume the role of Parent Coordinator. In this role, we collect the relevant information from all parties and draft formal decisions for the family. We work with all the various professionals involved and talk with the kids, too, to make decisions in their best interest.

a gentler way to divorce

Attorney-mental health professional collaborations support families with a kinder, gentler way to divorce.

Familiar with the process of divorce, we not only have expertise on the emotional context of the decisions that families are making, we understand the legal context as well. As mental health professionals, our role is to provide emotional support.  We support the attorneys we work with, too, by providing that emotional support to clients within the context of the legal practicalities.

We focus on helping clients be the best parents they can be, for the health and well-being of their kids. We enjoy our work, confident in knowing our clients’ attorneys are providing excellent guidance and drafting their legal documents, while we provide the tools that soften the very difficult process of dismantling relationships. 

We know how hard the attorney’s job is. You are working with clients in the very heat of the hurt and disappointment of a marriage ending, which requires your patience, understanding and finesse.  And if you, as an attorney, want mental health support for the ways in which you support your clients, we’re available to you for that, too.

Our shared support of families relieves everyone of the feeling that they are in it all alone.