Anger Management/Emotional Intelligence Coaching is a Useful Adjunct to Divorce Mediation

In many states, psychological evaluations are required for divorcing couples with children. These evaluations are used to determine child custody issues.

Mediation requires that all parties who are the principles in a conflict to take part in the mediation process. If one party refuses to be a part of the mediation or conflict resolution, no resolutions are likely to occur. In contrast, either party can gain from emotional intelligence coaching making it possible to influence others in working towards behaviors that may be in the best interest of both parties as well as the children.

One Judge from the Los Angeles Family Law Court permitted my firm, Anderson & Anderson, APC to provide Emotional Intelligence Assessments and Coaching for ten divorcing couples on a voluntary basis. A similar pilot in Emotional Intelligence Coaching was conducted for couples from the Family Law Court in Huntsville, Alabama with positive outcomes. In this program, it was determined that pervasive anger was more common than psychopathology in divorcing couples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs9Rx_AKDgY

Case Example 1

Two Physicians

Two physicians who are both surgeons attempted divorce mediation without success because of the irrational anger and paranoia of one party. With six-months of Anger management/Emotional intelligence Coaching, this physician was able to see the financial and emotional advantages of resolving the divorce through mediation rather than risk the horrendous cost of litigation.

Case Example 2

Attorney and Celebrity Wife

A prominent attorney was ordered by the court to seek anger management based on the recommendation of the psychologist who evaluated each parent and the two children regarding child custody. He was able to make enough objective progress that the court ultimately granted joint custody for both parents. In this case, mediation had failed based on the clients’ low scale scores relative to emotional intelligence competencies. Low scores in emotional self-awareness, assertive communication, empathy, social awareness and impulse control tends to derail mediation. With skill enhancement in these areas, he was able to demonstrate his ability to work cooperatively with former wife relative to alimony child support and co-parenting.

https://andersonservices.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Jane_Doe_EQi2_Sample_Report_Client.pdf

In summary, anger, rage, poor impulse control, lack of empathy or aggressive behavior can derail mediation in family law cases. Anger Management/Emotional Intelligence Coaching is proving to be far more effective than counseling, psychotherapy or mediation in cases in which intense anger is problematic. Emotional Intelligence Coaching is trending nationwide.

George Anderson, MSW, LCSW, CAMF, BCD