The Los Angeles Westside Collaborative Divorce Professionals has an impressive roster of mental health professionals including some of the most respected and experienced psychologists and social workers with backgrounds in psychotherapy, custody evaluations, custody mediation and other divorce-related services. They each maintain their own independent practices and bring their expertise to the collaborative experience for those who are divorcing.
The roles they play include:
- The Divorce Coach
- The Child Specialist
The Divorce CoachThe Divorce Coach focuses on helping the client prepare for meetings, improve communication with the divorcing spouse, and reduce the emotional intensity of the process. Although the divorce coach uses therapeutic skills and knowledge, this is not therapy. The Divorce Coach helps deal with the emotional issues that affect the practical decisions that people must make going through their divorce. Coaches can assist in the transition to co-parenting as well as developing a parenting plan.
The Child SpecialistThe Child Specialist helps parents understand the impact of the divorce on children, and may act as a spokesperson for younger children. By staying focused on the developmental needs of children, this expert assists the parents, attorneys and the coaches to make the children a priority during their divorce process. The Child Specialist helps assess the children’s needs, speaks to other professionals who may be involved with the children, and takes this essential information back to the coaches and attorneys.
