One of the advantages of opting for a collaborative law divorce in Texas is the divorce team available to the couple that has decided to end their marriage. Neutral experts who are trained in collaborative law join the process to assist in making important decisions regarding financial and custodial settlements. Mental health professionals are part of these teams from the onset, and meet with the divorcing couple jointly and separately to work with them toward resolving the case, and are ready to intervene if communication between the parties is troubled.
Mental health professionals play an active role in the process. Most importantly, they facilitate smooth dialogue between the parties and help ensure parties are making progress towards completing the case. In addition to this, they help clients develop a focus on what they want from the divorce process and try to achieve those aims so they are satisfied. They also act as negotiators to help divorcing couples come to an agreement on custodial issues, which are often the most difficult ones for couples to come to terms on. Since the mental health professionals are not hired by either party, they are working on providing information rather than supporting any one position.
Going through a divorce is not easy, and people experience a wealth of emotions in the process, from anger and rage to sadness and frustration. These feelings often disrupt the negotiations, as people let their emotions get the better of them and affect the decisions they make. A mental health professional assisting throughout the collaborative law process can help divorcing couples come to terms with their feelings so they can focus on getting to the end of the case. Other members of the collaborative law divorce team will be discussed in coming posts, but a lawyer experienced in collaborative law can often prove to be an integral part of the team.
Source: Collaborative Law Institute of Texas, “https://collaborativedivorcetexas.com/frequently-asked-questions/” Accessed on Sep. 14, 2015