Divorce

Divorce is one of the hardest losses we can experience. You may be feeling compounded pain of losing your family, current lifestyle, and identity as a married person. I can help as a therapist or as a key member of your divorce process. I am trained as a Collaborative Divorce coach, and I am a member of the LA Collaborative Family Law Association. Collaborative divorce is the way to honor what you built in your marriage while also developing a durable future for your entire family.

Divorce means that your life has changed. You may have wanted that change, or you may have desperately tried to stop the change. It doesn't matter, you still feel the change. We will work together to help you establish your new normal and to help you process the grief and fear. We'll work together to help you sort out what happened and help you make better decisions for yourself in the future.

Navigating discernment can feel very lonely. It can be a daunting life change to separate from a marriage. Having a nonjudgmental space to process and identify your wants, needs, and emotions related to divorce can be helpful in communicating how and when you want to separate. Whether it is individually or as a couple, divorce/discernment counseling can be a supportive space to process this life transition and discover deeper understanding of yourself in the process.

Parents who are experiencing divorce and child custody evaluations (social studies) are often under extreme stress. This makes it difficult to present their case in the most rational and emotion-free way. I have conducted these evaluations and I know what is expected and how to prepare properly in order help my client hit the "hot buttons" and avoid the traps, and deal with evaluator bias. I am able to perform child custody evaluations, but I prefer to coach and prepare parents in divorce and child custody cases to present their case to the evaluator in the most powerful and effective way. I can say with 100% certainty that proper preparation for a social study or custody evaluation will result in a better outcome for my client and for his/her children.

Dr. Babinski is forensically informed as a provider who serves families involved in family court, often serving high conflict couples through co-parenting challenges and parenting time related stressors. Coulpes considering divorce can also work toward avoiding divorce by working through betrayal, trust issues, and communication obstacles a couple may face.

Divorce is such a difficult loss to move forward on. It's hard to find peace, joy and purpose during this process and after the divorce is finalized. I'm here to help you move through the process of healing. I have been through a divorce myself too, so I can empathize with you the pain you're going through. I offer many approaches for treatment from Brainspotting to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness and Self-compassion techniques.

I work specifically with women who have divorce as part of their stories. Reclaiming your identity, working through issues of emotional abuse, and coparenting are all topics that we will explore in session.

I offer Discernment Counseling for those trying to determine if they should stay together or separate. For those looking to separate with dignity and respect, I offer Mediation services. If you are involved in a Collaborative Divorce, I can serve as a Divorce Coach and Child Specialist. I offer Divorce Counseling, Co-Parenting, and Parenting Plan Consultation. I also work collaboratively with my team offering Reunification Therapy, Psychological, Custody and Substance Abuse Evaluations.

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." - Tolstoy. All divorces are different. I can help you process what yours means for you. Among other things, we can discuss co-parenting, custody arrangements, dating, sex, identity, emotional abuse, and, most importantly, self-compassion.

Transition in life never really changes that is the one constant piece in life we can count on. We as human beings are programmed to be suspicious of change, perhaps worried about change. Working to feel comfortable with change, learning to embrace yourself, learning to understand yourself, learning to be okay with this constant change provides resiliency needed that can assist within navigating the rest of our lives.

Whether you wanted the divorce or not, this is not what you expected. Divorce is like being handed a Rubix cube and riding a roller coaster at the same. People don't "get it". At times the people closest to you are the most unhelpful. The loss, trauma, and hurt are real. The pathway to healing and rebuilding your life is daunting. Being told to "focus on yourself" is frustrating. In therapy, you will feel seen, have a space to heal, and a guide to help you build your life one step at a time.

Divorce is one of life's most challenging transitions, often accompanied by a whirlwind of emotions ranging from grief and anger to confusion and relief. The pain and upheaval of divorce can feel isolating, but you don't have to navigate this journey alone. As a therapist, I provide a compassionate space for you to process the myriad feelings that come with this change, assisting in navigating the practical and emotional complexities. Together, we'll explore ways to heal and reinvent yourself.

I specialize in helping people going through high conflict divorce and custody battles, parallel parenting difficulties, post-separation abuse, and Court trauma. I'm also a Level 2 Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I am specifically trained to help client navigate the decision to stay or leave a marriage, along with process the pain of divorce. I am specifically trained as a Certified Divorce coach, to help clients be their best self while going through one of the hardest times in their lives.

Healing from any challenging relationship or building a new healthy one

If you’re struggling in your relationship and worry that it's over take heart. It’s normal that relationships change over time. It’s also normal to want the relationship you once had were you looked forward to being together and had a loving and trusting relationship. Relationships don’t come with “how to” manuals especially when you have been together for years. Don't lose hope. There are things you can do.

If you or your partner are not certain about divorce, discernment counseling can help you find a clear path forward. Both partners will gain a better understanding of their individual contributions to the current state of the marriage and more clarity about how they got where they currently are and where they want to go. And if you are certain, I will be honored to accompany you through this journey, so that you better manage the challenges, emerge stronger, and grow in the process.

At Relationships For Better, we support couples who are in crisis (conflict, affairs, communication challenges, family challenges) and individuals who are trying to re-build after divorce.