No one gets married with the belief that they will be getting divorced. You go into the marriage with hope and love. However, things change. People change. And sometimes getting a divorce is the best thing to do. Regardless of whether the divorce seemingly came out of the blue or if you have been noticing your marriage degrading over time, it’s not easy. Sometimes, you will need to have some help along the way. Fortunately, you can find various types of services that can help.
What is a Divorce Coach?
One of these is divorce coaching. It’s recognized by the American Bar Association and is defined as being a flexible, goal-oriented process that is meant to support, motivate, and guide people through a divorce. It helps them to make the best possible decisions for their future based on their concerns, needs, and interests. Divorce coaches may have different backgrounds and specialties, so it’s possible to find a coach that can help to provide you with the types of services you need.
Is This the Same as a Counselor?
Are a divorce coach and a therapist or counselor the same thing? Although they might seem similar, there are some important differences. Therapists are licensed, and they will often dig deeper into the psychological issues that surround the divorce. They might evaluate, assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders and dysfunctions. Therapists tend to be focused on the past and helping the person to overcome it.
Coaches also strive to understand a client’s past so they know where the person is coming from. However, their goal as a divorce coach is to help people move forward. They work to find what it is that will help people to have the best future outcome for their lives. In many cases, clients will want to have both a therapist, as well as a divorce coach.
Access to Help and Support When Needed
Often, people who are seeing a therapist for their divorce will talk with them on a weekly or biweekly basis. However, there may be times when a question comes up or when something triggers them, and they need to have someone to talk to. A divorce coach can be a great option in these cases. It provides them with another outlet and avenue to use to get the help they need.
The divorce coach should remain accessible to their clients. Things happen fast in a divorce, and you might find that you need to have some guidance and help when others aren’t available. You might have several important decisions that you have to make at once. It can feel overwhelming.
When you feel overwhelmed and frustrated, it can become easy to make the wrong decisions that will end up hurting you. A good divorce coach can help to be that added pillar of support you need in trying times. They can help to make sure that you have the information you need and that you are making the choices that best support you now and in the future.
Most people aren’t familiar with all of the nuances of divorce. They don’t know how to respond when different things happen. Even things that might seem minor, such as how to respond to a text message or email, could become far more complex when going through a divorce. It can feel like you’re running through a minefield. Having a good divorce coach that can be one of your advocates will help. The coaches have the knowledge and experience to help guide you with all of the decisions that you make.
Why not just talk to an attorney? While an attorney can provide you with a lot of help and guidance, and you need to have an attorney on your team, it can get expensive to contact your attorney each time you have a minor question. It’s generally cheaper to work with a coach when you need those fast answers and when you might be getting in touch with them a couple of times a week. The attorney can handle the other aspects of the divorce.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, that the divorce coach can’t provide legal advice or financial advice. However, they can help them find and get access to the information they need. They can also help the person to get organized for the divorce.
It’s hard to make good decisions when you are going through a divorce. Whether you were the one who initiated the divorce or not, a lot is going on that can affect the way you make your decisions. It’s a trauma for everyone who is involved, and this can lead to poor choices.
Having a divorce coach working with you can help to alleviate this. Having someone who can help you think through things, weigh the pros and cons, and who has the experience, is a huge benefit. Divorce coaches want to help you find what will work best for you and what will be best for your future.
They can provide you with professional advice, whereas family and friends will be giving advice based on their limited experience, as well as their emotions and your emotions. When going through something as difficult as a divorce, it’s always better to have a professional that can examine the situation and help you find what’s truly best for you. They know and understand that each situation is different, and they approach it this way.
Put Together a Good Divorce Team
Naturally, you need to be sure you are working with a reputable and qualified divorce attorney for your case. No matter how “simple” you think the divorce might be, it’s essential to have a lawyer working on your side. In addition to the attorney, consider the benefits we discussed above about having a divorce coach. It can help to make a tough time a little bit easier to bear. Additionally, consider working with a therapist and a financial specialist to round out your divorce team.
