You are paying your divorce attorney for his or her legal advice and guidance. A divorce attorney is a valuable resource during this brief period in one's life, and he or she can greatly influence the divorce process itself as well as the final outcome. That said, your attorney is typically not the person to turn to for non-legal needs that arise during a divorce. Asking him or her to fill a different role is not only a poor use of resources, but it is also often ineffective.

For example, spouses who need to vent their frustrations and address their emotional reaction to the divorce will often turn to their attorney. While all lawyers are used to serving as a sounding board for their clients, few want to fully assume the responsibility of addressing needs outside of the legal realm. A better choice would be to contact a therapist to work through these issues.

Not only is a therapist or counselor better trained to deal with the emotional side of divorce, the hourly rates that these professionals charge is far lower than the hourly fee for legal services. Colorado spouses who expect their attorney to provide an outlet for anger, frustration or sadness risk not only having a sizeable legal bill, but also emerging with those emotional needs still unmet. When it comes to financial efficiency and measurable results during a divorce, a careful selection of professionals and judicious use of their services is the best way to go.

Source: The Huffington Post, "5 Things Your Divorce Attorney Wants To Tell You But Doesn't", Jason Levoy, Aug. 18, 2015