D.C.'s new breakup trend: divorce coaches
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One trend that's becoming more and more common in the Washington divorce world: divorce coaches.
The big picture: It's a young profession that's picked up in popularity over the past decade, local coaches tell Axios, as more people look for personalized help during what can be an expensive and drawn-out process.
- "You could call us an accountability partner," says Michelle Hanney, a Washington-based divorce coach. "A lot of people have no idea what they're getting into."
How it works: Divorce coaches are something of a doula for the breakup world, guiding their clients through the process.
- Coaches can help clients prepare a legal team, gather paperwork and documentation, communicate with their spouse and attorneys, co-parent through separation and manage what can be an emotional and high-stress process.
Yes, but: They're not therapists and they're not lawyers, although they often work in tandem with their clients' legal or mental health team, coaches tell Axios.
Zoom in: Keeping divorce costs low is especially appealing to potential clients right now, given the uncertain economic climate, say coaches.
- This is doubly true in Washington, where President Trump's policies are affecting local divorces and where many have been impacted by federal layoffs.
- DMV-based coach Sharri Freedman says she's seeing more locals hesitant to pursue divorce because of the financial implications.
Hiring a divorce coach can be an investment — Hanney says her hourly rate is $225, and a 10-session package runs $1,950; while Freedman says she charges $2,000 a month for a six-month contract.
- But it can ultimately save a client money by making the legal process quicker and more efficient, coaches tell Axios.
- "We're working to reduce conflict — essentially to settle via mediation and not to have a lengthy litigated divorce," says Hanney.
The intrigue: Divorce coaching has become popular in large metro areas like D.C., where white collar professionals have the resources to hire them, say coaches.
- And Washington's transience can also lead to more conflict in relationships and, therefore, divorce, says Hanney.
- She often works with expats or diplomat families, whose international connections can complicate a separation.
Between the lines: Do your research — the divorce coach landscape is not well-regulated, meaning it's easy for people to say they're coaches without having formal certification, reported the New York Times.
- The coaches Axios spoke received certifications from Certified Divorce Coach.