Neutral Experts

Divorce Mediation is flexible and follows the needs of the couple. Each couple faces different obstacles and where necessary, consultation with various experts can be extremely beneficial. In mediation, one neutral professional can be called upon in an “as needed” hourly basis. At KH Seiden Law, I work with a network of professionals in the following areas:

Financial Neutrals

• Structure tax savings around alimony, child support, retirement distributions, house sale, dependency exemptions.
• Identify which cash resources are available for immediate income.
• Give opinions about the value of real property, businesses, personal property and retirement plans.
• Show how separation or divorce will affect social security benefits.
• Assist in preparing detailed pre and post divorce budgets.
• Analyze the long-term implications of settlement options.
• Provide an education to the spouse who has little experience with household finances.
• Help set financial goals and quantify what it will take to achieve them and recommend and implement investment strategies.

Child Specialists

• Devise best way to tell children about the decision to divorce in a developmentally appropriate way.
• Help parents learn and implement co-parenting skills.
• Make recommendations about age appropriate arrangements for sharing parenting time with their children.
• Develop a plan to ease the children’s transition from one household to two.
• Address common co-parenting challenges such as differences in parenting styles and household rules that can lead to conflict.
• How to address the needs of each child including those with special needs.

Divorce Coaches

• Help clients deal with anger and prepare for discussion in mediation.
• Teach skills to cope with difficult emotions that “hijack” thinking and decision-making.
• Develop a narrative for understanding the end of the marriage.
• Address the difference in pacing when people are in different emotional phases of separation/divorce/readiness.

Therapists

• Provide an objective and rational perspective to work through feelings of guilt, fear, depression, anxiety and grief brought on by separation or divorce.
• Help individuals going through divorce learn about themselves as they transition from married to separated or divorced and see it as an opportunity for personal growth.
• Help children of divorcing couples who may feel guilt, loss, pain or abandonment.