Many divorce attorneys encourage their clients to seek out counseling for a child if behaviors develop during the divorce process. While the motives behind this seem focused on getting the child the help he or she needs, the toxic environment that the court room offers rarely provides a positive ending to this situation.
A child who is involved in counseling during the process of their parents’ divorce can become a pawn in the parents’ divorce when attempts are made to take information from the counseling process and use it as part of the divorce proceedings. Unless required by law, the therapist will not make recommendations pertaining to custody and will not provide information (written or verbal) about the child’s progress in therapy.
A mental health professional should not provide custody recommendations as part of the counseling process, as they are not trained to provide this type of professional service. If the primary reason you are seeking counseling is to get a recommendation regarding custody of your child, a custody evaluation is the right choice for you. To find custody evaluators in your area, contact your local court system for a list of approved custody evaluators.