I believe everyone going through a divorce should talk with a mental health professional. Psychologist, therapist, social worker, take your pick. I don’t think I’m overreacting. This is a huge, life-changing event and it’s different from other life-changing events, like the death of a loved one or the birth of a baby. When a loved one dies or a baby is born, family and friends usually gather together to offer support and guidance. That’s not necessarily the case with divorce.
Lots of people may want to be supportive when a friend or family member is getting divorced, but they often don’t know what to do and may even make the situation worse. Friends and family members are protective and usually not objective about the situation and often end up feeding the negative thoughts and behaviors instead of fostering constructive problem-solving.
People going through a divorce need an objective support person to help them look at the situation with an eye towards making the best decisions possible and also thinking about how the situation came about. That’s where a therapist can help.
Finding a therapist is a lot like finding any other professional to help you. You can get names from friends, coworkers, professional referral services and others (like your lawyer). Then check out the referrals. Look at their websites. Finally, go meet with them and find someone with whom you’re comfortable. You’ll need to develop a level of trust with your therapist to get the most out of your time together.