WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE COACH/MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IN A COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE?
- To Be A Resource To The Clients
- To offer empathy and containment for pain and loss
- To normalize the client’s emotional experience
- To support each party’s recognition of the humanity of the other
- To manage expectations of the process
- To help clients identify areas of psychological vulnerability
- To teach clients effective, non-attacking, non-defensive modes of communication
- To help clients identify their priorities and particular areas of concern
- To Be A Resource To The Process
- To help attorneys understand their clients’ emotional “hot spots,” fears and concerns
- To help attorneys understand marital dynamics and how they affect the process
- To make real-time interventions to identify blocks to the process
- To contribute to process efficiency by facilitating pacing of meetings, keeping the team organized and on track and ensuring that everyone is communicating effectively
- When the Divorcing Couple Has Minor Children, To Assist In Creating a Parenting Plan
- To work with clients independently, saving time and money
- To provide expertise in child development and the psychological impact of divorce on family members
- To facilitate option development, help couples imagine the near and far futures, and normalize parents’ intense emotions to aid in thinking creatively
- To help parents create a “shared narrative”