Divorce And Separation Services

“FIT”ness Services

Separation and divorce are more common in today’s society – and while it is often stressful and disruptive for the family, it does not have to cause long-term trauma.

We consider families going through separation and divorce to be “Families in Transition” or “FIT”. While the structure of the family is changing, we can keep the Focus on Family through the “FIT”ness Services we offer.

It is in the best interests of the children to have two functioning parents who can communicate effectively and objectively with each other about the children without putting them in the middle of their conflicts. The goals of our “FIT”ness services are to facilitate functioning as a family during this transition while containing both emotional trauma and financial costs.

OUR “FIT”NESS SERVICES INCLUDE:

• SOCIAL INVESTIGATIONS (SI) – This assessment has replaced “custody evaluations” and may include psychological testing of family members. These are usually court-ordered.
• SI CONSULTATION – When SI’s are conducted by other mental health professionals, our psychologists can conduct the psychological testing portion as consultants to the investigator.
• PARENTING PLANS (PP) – Florida now requires a PP before a divorce is granted. The PP is essentially an agreement between the parents regarding all major areas affecting children. If the parents cannot construct a PP themselves, the psychologists at BHI can help develop one that will work for the family. The range of PP services includes:
  • PP guidance
  • PP facilitation
  • Voluntary PP development
  • Court ordered PP
Even when a PP is court ordered, it will still represent a dramatic cost-savings over other processes, such as mediation. In this case, only one psychologist is paid for the time involved rather than 2 attorneys and a mediator.
• CHILD DEVELOPMENT CONSULTATION – Educational sessions to help parents understand the developmental needs of their children in order to arrive at better decisions affecting the children.
• GUARDIAN AD LITEM (GAL) – In separation and divorce cases where there is a high level of conflict that places children in the middle, a GAL may be appointed to serve as an advocate for the children. Several of the psychologists at BHI have received court training and certification as GAL’s.
• BREAKING THE NEWS – A preparatory session to help parents decide on the best way to inform their children of the impending transitions in the family.
• DIVORCE COACHING - A combination of support and guidance to assist an individual parent in going through the separation and divorce process.
• CO-PARENTING CONSULTATION – To assist the parents post-divorce, when they are having difficulty successfully implementing their PP. A good PP not only looks good on paper, but it is one that works in reality.

Separation and divorce are real world issues. Our professional staff at BHI are here to help with sensitive solutions to these transitions through our “FIT”ness Services. For more information, please contact our office at 954-340-0888.

Coping with the Transition

In spite of everyone’s best intentions, there may be times when family members need additional assistance to cope with the changes associated with separation and divorce. Our staff has many years of experience helping both adults and children to stay “FIT” through these rough times. These services, which may be covered by your insurance, include:

• Individual therapy
• Family therapy
• Parent-child relationship therapy
• Play therapy for children

If you or a family member would benefit from therapy, please call our office at 954-340-0888 to set up an appointment.

Divorce Recovery Program

There is so much to attend to while going through separation and divorce. Regardless of how long the process takes, you are focused on various tasks and responsibilities – finances, children, time-sharing, job, housing, and family. When the divorce is final, it still takes time to adjust to all the changes. It may be a while before you can actually think about yourself.

Some people have a bit of a “delayed reaction” after the divorce and may be uncertain about their emotions and what they really want to do. This confusion can be a very normal reaction to this major life-change.

BHI can help you make that “fresh start” in order to move on with your life. This program is designed for the newly single again adult and starts with an “educational” focus in order to better understand the “terrain”. An additional component consists of groups to help process one’s goals and direction in making this transition work for you.

Please call our office at 954-340-0888 for more information about the Divorce Recovery Program and the components currently available.