Mental Health Professionals are worth their weight in gold in a Collaborative Divorce case. The neutral mental health professional will run the Collaborative Divorce joint meetings. This means that no one person will be dominating the meeting. The Mental health professional helps both parties to stick to the agenda and not get distracted by other issues. Additionally, the Mental health professional also works with both parties to develop their interests and goals prior to the very first meeting.
The mental health professional will also meet individually with either party to discuss emotional triggers that may come up during a meeting. Triggers that can become barriers to a settlement. Sometimes couples think that they just can’t be in the same room and don’t feel that Collaborative Divorce is an option for them. These couples especially are incredibly surprised when working with a mental health professional on the Collaborative Divorce team. Both parties feel heard by someone other than their lawyer. In the event their spouse says something regretful during a meeting, the mental health professional is there to make sure that it’s a safe space for everyone and will intervene in a manner that is appropriate for the parties and the process.
Mental Health Professionals are also very helpful in a divorce involving a party with a high-conflict personality. High-conflict personalities are often coming from a place of fear. The Mental Health Professional can help understand where that fear is coming from and how to address it. This can save the parties a lot of time and money in a divorce case because that Mental Health Professional understands what’s going on underneath the surface and can work to help bring out their concerns in a very diplomatic way that won’t blow up the divorce. Your mental health professional can meet with the parties “offline” to address any concerns without involving the entire Team and without disrupting any joint meetings during the process.
Ultimately the mental health professional plays a key role in helping to resolve the issues in a case because they are a neutral party. They also help to reduce the cost of a divorce because of a lower billable rate than the attorneys, their areas of expertise, and their ability to help both parties move past the emotional issues in their case.
To schedule a consultation or for more information call (512) 474-4400. Our office is located at 11782 Jollyville Rd., #204b, Austin, TX 78759.
