Does Your Child Need Counseling After a Divorce?

Divorce is a difficult process. For children, this time can be confusing and overwhelming. Some children may even blame themselves for their parents’ separation. Finding a counselor for your child can help them work through their emotions and this tumultuous time.

At Moskowitz Law Group, we are committed to giving you and your family the support you need as you adjust to these changes, including tackling the question of whether to pursue counseling for your child.

Signs Your Child is Struggling

It is important to pay attention to how your child is responding to divorce. Sadness and stress are completely natural, but certain behaviors may suggest a need for extra support. Increased clinginess, difficulty sleeping and eating, and regressive behaviors such as bedwetting can be signs that your child is in distress. A sudden decrease in school performance and social activities may also indicate a need for your child to work through their feelings with a professional.

If your child is exhibiting dramatic changes in behavior or is otherwise struggling in a way you think requires extra support, therapy and counseling can be a great tool.

Benefits of Counseling

During a divorce, it is often difficult for a child to understand what is happening and why. Counseling offers an opportunity for your child to be heard by someone who understands the weight of their situation. In high conflict divorces, this support can be critical to helping a child work toward understanding why a separation, though painful, is for the best. Divorce is a strain on everyone involved, and counseling offers an opportunity to support your child while you are managing other moving parts.

Custody battles can also make a child anxious that what they say will affect the proceedings of the divorce. Counseling provides an opportunity for your child to talk about their feelings with a third party. A good therapist will validate those feelings and help your child understand that the situation is not their fault. Unlike other actors in divorce proceedings who may legally advise on custody or parenting time, counselors are wholly dedicated to the well-being and emotional health of the child.

Discuss Your Situation with a Dedicated Divorce Attorney

Though counselors can make recommendations to parents based on a child’s concerns, it is up to the parents to decide the best long-term strategies to support their child. Every family and divorce are unique. To learn more about the benefits of child therapy and how to manage the moving parts of a divorce while supporting your family, contact us at Moskowitz Law Group today.