By Terri Romanoff-Newman, Ph.D., Coach

My role as a Coach for those considering a Collaborative Divorce is to walk you through the divorce process every step of the way; answering questions, communicating with other professionals, and making sure that your needs and questions are answered.

My job is to prepare you to do your best possible work with the other excellent professionals in the Collaborative Process who you will meet throughout the divorce. I am talking about having productive four way meetings with your attorneys because now you have tools to communicate your needs, or have worked with your Coach to learn fair fighting so that issues that are imperative to the success of your Collaborative Divorce are resolved.

The Coach and your Child Specialist (who is the voice of the children’s needs) work together to provide parents and your own special Team to learn more about how to assist your children in feeling healthy, safe and secure.

It is because of individual differences that Coaches can be most beneficial in helping couples understand one another’s learning style and apply that to the way they can be best “heard” and “understood” by the other person so that each person can feel that they were in the room and respected.

Coaches provide couples with homework so they can practice exercises using productive communication at home and in each of the settings; with their attorneys, financial neutrals, and child specialists. As Coaches we have staying power-we are there when ever you need us until your case is completed. We also may be with you in any meeting that you would find us helpful, including the very beginning of your process.

Although Coaches are mental health specialists, we are not working in that role as a Coach. You may, though, feel our compassion and patience as we join you to make sure that what ever impasse you encounter is addressed and resolved in the best method possible based upon your needs (not our needs).