Frequently Asked Questions

Working with a divorce and custody coach could be a wise investment in your emotional health and future success if you're having difficulty with any aspect of the divorce or custody process and could use individualized help. Divorce and custody coaching is a specialist help for people going through a divorce or custody battle. It seeks to support clients in overcoming the logistical, practical, and emotional obstacles of this time. Some of the main features of divorce coaching are emotional support, useful advice, help with decision-making, communication, co-parenting skills, future planning, conflict resolution, time and money management, and resource referral. Divorce and custody coaching are individualized to meet the specific needs of each client, enabling them to more confidently and easily navigate the difficult world of divorce.

• Help in Selecting the Appropriate Divorce Method: A coach can assist you in identifying the divorce method that is best for your circumstances.
• Help with Attorney Selection: They can help you choose a lawyer who shares your goals and needs.
• Cost-Saving Techniques: A coach can assist you in figuring out how to cut down on the costs related to litigation.
• Accountability Support: They provide accountability, helping you stay on track with your goals and commitments.
• Conflict Management: Coaches offer techniques to manage and navigate conflicts that may arise during divorce effectively.
• Co-parenting Assistance: A service that provides guidance and support in the development of effective co-parenting strategies.
• Children's Well-being: Coaches help keep children out of conflict and prioritize their emotional well-being.
• Strategic Brainstorming: They assist in brainstorming and developing strategies to address challenges and achieve desired outcomes.
• Effective Communication with Your Attorney: Coaches help improve communication between you and your attorney, ensuring clarity and alignment.
• Productive Communication with the Opposing Party: They offer guidance on communicating effectively with the opposing party, fostering constructive dialogue.
• Conflict Minimization: Coaches work to minimize conflicts and promote amicable resolutions.
• Emotional Management: They provide support and techniques to manage the emotional toll of the divorce process.
• Preparation Assistance: Coaches help prepare you for meetings with the opposing party and your legal team, ensuring readiness and confidence.
• Empowerment: They empower you throughout the process, enabling you to make informed decisions and advocate for yourself effectively.
• Promoting Reasonableness: Coaches help you maintain reasonableness and objectivity, even in challenging situations.
• Understanding the Legal Process: Involves clarifying legal procedures and documents, ensuring your understanding of the process is clear.
• Organizational Support: Coaches assist in staying organized, managing documents, and maintaining a structured approach.
• Educational Resources: They provide resources to educate you about legal matters and offer assistance with filing necessary forms.
• Encouragement for Legal Representation: Coaches urge you to seek legal counsel when essential to protect your interests adequately.
• Document Organization for Discovery: They help organize documents for discovery, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.
• Decision-Making Assistance: Coaches provide support and guidance to facilitate decision-making throughout the process.
• Confidence Building: They help build your confidence as you navigate the complexities of the divorce process.
• Understanding Documents and Procedures: Coaches clarify important documents and procedures, ensuring you are well-informed every step of the way.

Yes. You cannot afford not to have a divorce/custody coach. A divorce or custody coach can help you navigate the legal process, minimize unnecessary conflicts and costs, and effectively communicate with the opposing party, all of which can raise the cost of your case. They can also help you work closely with your legal counsel, reduce billable hours, and explore alternatives to litigation, as well as manage emotions and stress, which can impact the cost of your case.

The divorce or custody coach should be your initial point of contact, assisting you in asking relevant questions during your initial consultation, and guiding you in determining the best approach for your case to minimize conflict and save money.

The average cost of a divorce varies based on the location, attorney, and type of divorce, but it is around $20,000. With the assistance of a Divorce or Custody Coach, parties can save between 30% to 50% in costs.

Most divorce cases can take between 6 to 15 months, and the length of your divorce can be influenced by various factors, which a coach can help you navigate through.

Our services cater to clients involved in both contested and uncontested cases, offering various benefits. Refer to the "Benefits of a Coach" section for insights on how a divorce/custody coach can help.

The divorce/custody coach can provide support throughout your case and beyond, tailored to your needs. You can choose the package that suits you best.

Coaching sessions are conducted over Zoom, Google Meet, and occasionally by phone. Yvonne Kafor can also meet clients in person if they are in the same area.

Typically, the initial session (discovery session) lasts 60 minutes, while subsequent sessions are 45 minutes. Emergency sessions are brief, lasting 15 minutes.

Yvonne Kafor does not represent you and cannot give you legal advice. As your coach, she can assist you in selecting an attorney if you need one. You must consult with a licensed family law attorney in your state.

No, Yvonne Kafor is not a therapist.

Yes, we encourage joint coaching sessions. In most cases, joint sessions lead to Mediation and ultimately resolution of all disputes. Our coaches are trained to coach as a neutral third party and encourage alternative dispute resolution.

All sessions are scheduled in advance between 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, via Zoom or phone call. Your emergency sessions are as needed and may be conducted via call or text. In-person meeting depends on the location of the client and coach.

Mediation Coaching prepares clients for mediation. During the mediation coaching session, the coach will answer questions about mediation and guide clients on how to approach the other party about attending mediation. The coach will also provide a cost comparison between mediation and litigation. Clients will be prepared with the necessary information for effective mediation and will receive assistance in narrowing down the issues. Additionally, clients will be given resources to stay organized and ready for the mediation session. The coach will review the rules of mediation to ensure clients are well-informed.

Mediation is a forum where a neutral third party, known as a Mediator, helps the parties reach agreements on various issues. Mediation is binding on all parties.

Mediation offers several benefits, including:

• Cost-Effective: Mediation is less expensive than litigation because of lower legal fees and quicker resolution times.
• Time-Saving: Mediation sessions can often be scheduled quickly, and the process usually takes much less time than going to court.
• Confidentiality: Mediation is a private process, and the discussions and agreements are kept confidential, unlike public court cases.
• Control Over Outcome: Parties have more control over the resolution as they work collaboratively to reach a mutually acceptable agreement, rather than having a decision imposed by a judge.
• Preserve Relationships: Mediation fosters a cooperative environment that can help maintain and even improve relationships, which is especially beneficial in disputes involving family or business partners.
• Flexible Solutions: Mediation allows for creative and flexible solutions tailored to the specific needs and interests of the parties involved.
• Reduces Stress: The informal and collaborative nature of mediation can be less stressful than the adversarial court process.
• High Compliance Rates: Agreements reached through mediation are typically more sustainable and have higher compliance rates because both parties have actively participated in creating the terms.
• Empowerment: Mediation empowers individuals by giving them a direct role in resolving their disputes and crafting their agreements.
• Improved Communication: Mediation encourages open communication and can improve understanding and cooperation between parties.

In mediation, the mediator establishes the mediation guidelines. Each party is given the chance to present a summary of their case and stance. In family law matters, it's common for the parties to be in separate rooms (or breakout rooms), along with their legal representatives if they have any. The mediator moves between these rooms throughout the session. Finally, the mediator drafts the agreement and distributes it for signatures.

The best preparation for mediation involves understanding the pertinent issues and the corresponding laws, fully disclosing assets and liabilities to facilitate informed negotiation, maintaining organization, and entering the process with a genuine commitment to resolving good faith.

You have the option to invite the other party to participate in a mediation coaching session with one of our mediation coaches or mediators. Alternatively, if your case has been filed with the court, you can request the court to appoint a mediator.

You can easily schedule a mediation consultation on our website by clicking on the "Mediation" tab and following the provided prompts.

You can conveniently pay for your mediation consultation online while scheduling the appointment.

Mediation may not be suitable in cases involving domestic violence, or child abuse, or when parties are not transparent about their assets and debts.

The cost of mediation typically ranges from $550 to $700 per party for a half-day session or $1250 to $1300 per party for a full-day session.

Each party is responsible for covering 50% of the mediation costs.

You can effortlessly schedule mediation sessions on our website by clicking the "Mediation" tab and following the prompts. Select a package, choose a date, and proceed with the payment. Alternatively, you can fill out the mediation request form, and we'll respond within 24 hours.

You can conveniently pay for your mediation online while scheduling the appointment. Alternatively, contact our office can provide you with a payment link or Zelle, cash-app, or Venmo options.

After mediation, your case is not considered finalized. Your coach will equip you with the resources necessary to complete the process.

Once a settlement is reached, the Mediator will furnish you with a Mediated Settlement Agreement. Both parties are required to sign this binding document. The Mediator then files it with the Court. One party must draft a Proposed Order that reflects the agreement of the parties. After both parties review and sign the Proposed Order, then you are ready to present the signed Order to the Court to finalize the case.

If the parties cannot reach an agreement, they will proceed to litigation. In such cases, the mediator will file an impasse letter with the court if a case has been initiated.