In a typical divorce, the last thing on people’s minds is usually the importance of taking care of their mental health.
Working to help people with this goal is Karen Ela Kenny, a LICSW and Collaborative Divorce Coach and Facilitator.
Karen has a private practice as a psychotherapist and has seen clients since 1982 in this setting. Being able to work with couples, families, and individuals who are struggling inspired her to help couples who are getting divorced do so in a healthier and more productive setting. Although she is a therapist, being a divorce coach isn’t therapy! The goal is to keep the divorce productive and avoid having tension and the mindset that the partners are working against each other.
In asking Karen what she felt was important for me to know about her position in a collaborative divorce, was that it’s important that she helps individuals working through situations without unpacking past issues. Although some issues that are brought up in a divorce process may trigger previous emotional issues, the goal of a divorce coach isn’t to work through those issues as a therapist would in that moment; it’s more important to facilitate calm and continue to work through the current issues that are presented to facilitate productive communication and decision making. Learn more about Karen here: https://nhdivorcecoach.com/
Kylie Grenier is an intern for the New Hampshire Collaborative Divorce and a senior at Southern New Hampshire University studying psychology and justice studies.