CCDG Attorney Donna Buttler on Mental Illness Awareness Week: Collaborative Divorce Benefits the Whole Family

This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. When it comes to divorce when mental illness is involved, a Collaborative Divorce attorney might be able to work differently with clients who have mental health issues.

“Support for the individual who is mentally or emotional compromised is inherent in the Collaborative process. The mental health professional attends all sessions to look out for their needs as well as an individualized attorney advocate to provide legal support,” said CCDG attorney Donna Buttler. “The Collaborative method creates a circle of privacy as well as support for the individual who may have more difficulty coping with the emotions of a divorce, coupled with the need to negotiate in a reasonable manner. Contrast that with litigation and the need to put an emotionally compromised individual on a witness stand to essentially drill them for information in an utterly confusing situation and it is apparent how the collaborative process is beneficial to the entire family.”