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Many couples pursue marriage counseling, but the need for emotional release doesn’t end after you decide to end your relationship. Divorce therapy could help you communicate more effectively with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, thereby ensuring an amicable, expedient separation.

Ready to give divorce therapy a whirl? You’ll get out what you put in, so keep these essentials in mind as you prepare for your first session:

Get to Know Your Therapist

You’ll gain little from your relationship with your divorce therapist if you lack basic trust and respect. The first step? Learn as much as possible about your therapist’s background and approach.

Come to your first session prepared with specific questions about your therapist’s experience with divorce. Ask for a detailed explanation of this person’s philosophy and how it might apply to your situation.

Outline Specific Goals

What do you want to accomplish through your work with a divorce therapist? Write concrete goals to ensure productive sessions. Your mission will depend largely on how you intend to approach divorce in general. Perhaps you want to learn to control your emotions so as to avoid outbursts in mediation or court. Or, perhaps, you suffer the opposite problem: you’re not assertive enough. Determine which skills or information you need, and how your therapist can help you acquire these essentials.

Be Honest

It seems obvious, but honest communication can make all the difference as you undergo divorce therapy. Whether you meet with a therapist alone or alongside your soon-to-be ex, let your true feelings be known. The sooner you get everything out in the open, the sooner you can settle lingering issues—and the less likely these problems are to play out in court.

Continue Therapy After Divorce

Following divorce, you may suffer grief or listlessness. Your therapist can draw on a strong relationship built during the divorce process to help you process difficult emotions afterwards. Solo sessions can improve your personal wellbeing. Meanwhile, ongoing visits alongside your ex can help you deal with co-parenting disputes.

Your therapist can help you with the emotional issues tied to your divorce, but there’s no substitute for high-quality legal counsel. Ready to get started? Contact the law firm of Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd. today to schedule a private consultation.