Collaborative Child Specialist

There is no question that children are impacted by a divorce, and sadly, they are the ones least able to interpret or articulate their feelings. As their world seems to be falling apart, it becomes difficult for them to communicate with their parents. One of the highest priorities of Collaborative Law Practice is the focus on the children and making their voice be heard.

Because she is trained as a GAL and as a custody evaluator, Dr. Petrich can act as a child specialist in assessing and communicating to the collaborative team the needs of the children. While it is not necessary in every case, she may meet with the children privately to assist them in expressing their concerns about the divorce and their future lives. As a child specialist, Gail can help parents avoid putting their children “in the middle.” As the advocate for the children, Dr. Petrich remains neutral in the relationship with the parents, and makes recommendations to parents based on input from the children. She also helps parents understand child-development stages and gives the children a “strong voice” in the process without their knowing it.