Should I Use A Therapist For My Kids During Divorce?

The emotional trauma created by divorce is not limited to the adults. Kids feel the pressure too, and can experience difficulty adjusting to a new world. Reminding your children they are loved by both parents certainly helps, but there are times when a more sophisticated approach is needed. Most parents are not trained to work through significant emotional issues, and the job can be all the harder when going through a divorce. It can be helpful to enlist the assistance of a trained therapist or counselor. Mental health professionals can provide your children the tools necessary to adjust to their new way of life in a way that allows your kids to thrive.

Some of the benefits your children may experience by seeing a therapist during a divorce are:

• Talking to a third party adult can give your child confidence in authority figures and help your kids learn to trust adults, which includes you.
• A therapist can show your child how to express their feelings in a way that is productive rather than destructive.
• Children gain the reassurance that they are loved by both parents, and that the decision to divorce is not a result of any act by the child.

The key is to keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your kids, and to encourage honest discussions. It is also important to avoid negative comments about your ex in front of your child, or to place blame for the divorce on any family member. Helping your children process the many emotions that go along with a divorce provides a stable home life, and in turn results in a healthy child. Divorce is painful and emotional, but doesn’t have to be a catastrophic life event for your children.

Hackensack Family Law Attorneys Serving All of NJ

For more information about the use of therapy during divorce, call an experienced Bergen County family law attorney for answers to your questions. Fill out our online contact form or call our office today!