It’s important during a divorce to remember the roles all of the parties play. As a spouse, your role is to decide the direction you want to take, and work with your professionals to achieve that goal. Your professionals can all provide important advice and counsel during your divorce, but you have to ask the right questions of the right professionals.

Your attorney is there to handle the technical aspects of your divorce as a legal proceeding. They are they to ensure all documents are filed on time, with proper notice and that no deadlines are missed. They are there to advise you of your legal options with regard to all of the legal elements of your divorce, from how property is divided for your property settlement to helping you work through the details of creating a viable parent plan for your children.

Obviously, many of these legal decisions can be emotionally charged and cause much psychological upset. You may have to sell your family home and find a new residence, and if you have shared or joint custody, you may need to manage to coordinate with your children’s other parent so that your new residences are close to your children’s school or schools. 

But respect their professional skills, and know when to work with divorce coach or therapist, as discussing your pain and feelings of emotional upset with them may not be the best use of their time or your dollars. In the same fashion, if you have complex financial investments, a financial advisor may be the better person to advise you on your post-divorce investing strategy.

While empathy is important and all divorce attorneys need to a clients back-story to properly represent them, their job is to provide the best legal advice and guidance during your divorce. Relying on the proper professional for the task is important, and ensures you receive the optimal service and outcome.