• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
information@kenjewell-law.com
(212) 856-7273
Ken Jewell Law | Matrimonial Law | New York, NY

Ken Jewell Law | Matrimonial Law | New York, NY

Matrimonial & Family Law Firm

Contact
  • About Us
  • Attorneys
    • Ken Jewell
  • Practice Areas
    • Divorce
    • Separation
    • Child Support
    • Child Custody
    • Spousal Support
    • Post Judgment
    • Property Distribution
    • NYC PreNuptial Agreements
    • NY Post Nuptial Agreements
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • FAQs

3 Reasons Your Divorce Attorney Should Not Be Your Therapist

Home » Blog » 3 Reasons Your Divorce Attorney Should Not Be Your Therapist
Woman speaking with therapist

July 9, 2019 by Ken Jewell   No comments   Filed Under: Blog, Divorce

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • LinkedIn

Woman speaking with therapistDivorce is one of the most stressful and emotional experiences a person can go through. Feelings of anxiety, grief, and anger are typical, but can become overwhelming and toxic if not addressed appropriately. Consulting a mental health professional can help a person find constructive ways to handle their emotions.

Unfortunately, some individuals turn to their attorneys for psychological support. When you are getting a divorce, you spend a lot of time talking to your attorney about your marriage. It may feel natural to start discussing your emotional issues, however, a divorce attorney should not be your therapist. Although we deal with clients daily going through divorces, there are important reasons why we are not the right person to provide that kind of guidance to clients.

  1. Lack of expertise. A good divorce attorney is sympathetic and compassionate. Many attorneys have even gone through their own divorce and understand first-hand the pain involved. However, there is a limit to our ability to help clients in this arena. We don’t have the education and training to advise clients on their mental health needs. A skilled therapist can offer appropriate guidance and coping techniques specifically tailored to the client’s needs.
  2. Separation of roles. An attorney’s job is to provide legal advice. That advice is based on legal principles and practical experience negotiating divorce agreements and litigating in court. We represent the client’s legal interests, not their emotional ones. A therapist, however, can talk to clients about how the divorce process may be affecting theirs or their children’s emotional well-being.
  3. Cost. Typically, a therapist is less expensive than a divorce attorney so purely from an economic standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to turn to your attorney for psychological counseling. With that said, clients shouldn’t use their therapist as a substitute for an attorney either. Therapists should not provide legal advice for the same reasons an attorney should not provide mental health counseling.

Notwithstanding this discussion, there is nothing wrong with expressing emotions about your divorce or your soon to be ex-spouse. Your attorney wants to help you through the process. However, just be mindful about how you are spending your time with your attorney.

If you are considering or facing a divorce, speak to an experienced attorney about your options. Please contact our office to learn how we can help you achieve the positive results you want.

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • LinkedIn

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Blog
  • Child Custody
  • Child Support
  • Divorce
  • Firm News
  • Mediation
  • Post Formats
  • Prenuptial Agreements
  • Property Distribution
  • Separation
  • Spousal Support
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • Should You Change Your Passwords When Getting a Divorce?
  • Can You Read Your Spouse’s Text Messages or Emails?
  • What Rights Do You Have to Your Spouse’s Past Financial Records in Divorce?
  • How Can You Verify Your Spouse’s Income for Child Support and Spousal Support Purposes?
  • Do You Disagree With Your Attorney’s Strategy in Your Divorce Case?

Archives

Footer

Jewell Law
  • About Us
  • Practice Areas
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • FAQs
  • Ken Jewell
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

260 Madison Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, New York, 10016-2410

(212) 856-7273

information@kenjewell-law.com

 

© 2021 Jewell Law, PLLC, all rights reserved | Disclaimer | Website & SEO Services for Law Firms by Good2bSocial