The Importance of Working with a Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS®)
What is a Certified Divorce Specialist (CDS®)?
A CDS® is one who has completed the Certified Divorce Specialists Program - a comprehensive training for professionals in various industries who wish to provide better services to their divorcing clients. This Program is aligned with the NADP - National Association of Divorce Professionals.
The CDS® curriculum consists of a specialized communication skills training to help foster a successful and productive professional/client relationship. It also highlights specific legal, financial, mental health, and real estate information that are integral to the divorce process giving the professional a holistic understanding of their clients experience.
Communication Skills
One of the most challenging aspects of serving divorcing clients is having to communicate and build a professional/client relationship with individuals who are at the beginning or midst of an extremely painful process, both emotionally and financially. Most are experiencing a plethora of unhealthy and unproductive negative emotions that will ultimately guide their behaviors and choices. In order to help them navigate this turbulent process in an efficient manner, we must be able to communicate in a way that gives our clients clarity, comfort, and confidence. The CDS® training strictly focuses on learning valuable tools to successfully manage the process for our divorcing clients both practically and emotionally.
Fundamental Skills
Aside from the legal steps necessary to end a marriage, the process involves changes in other areas including finance, real estate and mental health. Although we have knowledge in one these areas, since we are providing a service to a divorcing individual, couple, or family, it is imperative for us to familiarize ourselves with ALL that our client will need help with.
Many areas require either collaboration or a basic understanding in order to properly help our clients make the right decisions. One simple choice or step can affect the entire process either negatively or positively. To better serve our clients, the CDS training also focuses on the fundamental aspects of the divorce process that directly affect those going through it.
What does this mean for Divorcing Clients?
It means that the CDS® Alumni has gone above and beyond to make sure they are equipped with unique skills and divorce-specific information to manage a better experience for all parties involved:
Divorce Educated
More Resourceful
Better prepared
Why work with a Certified Divorce Specialist?
If you are contemplating, or in the midst of a divorce, make sure you work with professionals who:
Have a holistic understanding of important legal, financial, mental health and resal estate implications on the divorce process
Are equipped with unique tools to help communicate more effectively with all parties involved
Are aware when the many legal, financial, mental health and residential professionals might be needed for your case
Have access to fellow CDS® Alumni from across the State of Florida and the Country that can be valuable resources
Know the various stages you will be experiencing based on the type of divorce process you have chosen, such as mediation, collaborative or litigation
Understand the implications divorce has on children and are committed to consider their best interest throughout the process
Recognize the emotional distress divorce causes and believe in supporting clients with empathy and individualized attention
Are consistently connecting with and learning from other divorce professionals to stay up-to-date
Designated Certified Divorce Specialists (CDS®) are dedicated to providing divorcing clients special care