Divorce signature, marriage dissolution document.

Should I Go to Therapy During My Divorce?

As with any decision about your mental health, you know what is best for you. If you are thinking about going to therapy, however, you probably should. Seeing a therapist or counselor during your divorce can have many benefits for you and your family. Working out the emotions attached to your divorce can even lend clarity to the legal process of divorce. Your attorney is not your therapist, and your therapist cannot give legal advice, so it is a good idea to have both professionals working with you during this difficult time.

How Does Therapy Help?

Divorce is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Even if you have never had an interest in therapy before, you may want a safe space to process your complex emotions. In therapy, you can also learn positive coping mechanisms and get the tools you need to recover from anger, sadness, or loss. Further, working out the problems you faced in your marriage and understanding why it didn’t work out can help you build stronger relationships in the future.

Seeing a therapist can also save you money. In many cases, the only person a client is talking to about their divorce is their divorce attorney. Instead of using your time with your attorney to process your emotions, you can see a therapist and get the most out of your time with your lawyer. If you work through your feelings in your therapist’s office, you can make logical decisions about your future in your attorney’s office.

What Kind of Therapy Do I Need?

During a divorce, you may want to seek different kinds of therapy sessions. You can see a therapist on an individual basis, with your spouse, or with your entire family. Some therapists offer discernment counseling to take a final look at a marriage before the couple decides to divorce, and others offer divorce counseling, where the initiating spouse can tell the other spouse why their decision is irrevocable, and the other spouse gets an opportunity to express their feelings about the divorce and the relationship.

Even though your past the point of standard couples therapy, seeking therapy with and without your spouse can be a useful way to make your divorce easier, build your future, and establish a healthy co-parenting relationship as you move forward.

Do My Children Need Therapy?

If you decide you need therapy, your children likely need therapy as well. According to Dr. Meshie-Mai Ronit Lami, a renowned psychologist with more than 18 years of experience:

In cases where children are involved, it is extremely important to take them to therapy.”

Parents who are caught up in the stress of a divorce may need help checking in on their child’s emotional state, and therapists can help children work through the feelings of loss, guilt, hurt, pain, abandonment, and confusion that arise during a divorce.

Some of the most useful sessions for families going through divorce are family sessions with you, your spouse, and your children working together to communicate and rebuild your relationships. When you can be cordial and cooperative with your spouse, your children are better equipped to handle the difficulties of divorce.

Get the Help You Need Today

When in doubt, pick up your phone and call your healthcare provider. Mental health services are free with many insurance policies, and there are many affordable options outside of your insurance plan. At the very least, your primary care doctor or a scheduling nurse can help you determine whether or not therapy is a good idea for you.

Of course, the other professional you need during this time is a good lawyer. If you want holistic and personalized legal help, look no further than Fenchel Family Law PC.

Our attorneys will always make you and your mental health priorities, and we will provide honest and straightforward legal help.

Let us help you get through the legal process so you can focus on healing and building a new future.

Call us at (415) 805-9069 or contact us online to get started today.

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