D.C.'s new breakup trend: divorce coaches

Axios

08-07-2025

One trend that's becoming more and more common in the Washington divorce world: divorce coaches.
The big picture: It's a young profession that's picked up in popularity over the past decade, local coaches tell Axios, as more people look for personalized help during what can be an expensive and drawn-out process.
"You could call us an accountability partner," says Michelle Hanney, a Washington-based divorce coach. "A lot of people have no idea what they're getting into."
How it works: Divorce coaches are something of a doula for the breakup world, guiding their clients through the process.
Coaches can help clients prepare a legal team, gather paperwork and documentation, communicate with their spouse and attorneys, co-parent through separation and manage what can be an emotional and high-stress process.
Yes, but: They're not therapists and they're not lawyers, although they often work in tandem with their clients' legal or mental health team, coaches tell Axios.
Zoom in: Keeping divorce costs low is especially appealing to potential clients right now, given the uncertain economic climate, say coaches.
This is doubly true in Washington, where President Trump's policies are affecting local divorces and where many have been impacted by federal layoffs.
DMV-based coach Sharri Freedman says she's seeing more locals hesitant to pursue divorce because of the financial implications.
Hiring a divorce coach can be an investment — Hanney says her hourly rate is $225, anda 10-session package runs $1,950; while Freedman says she charges $2,000 a month for a six-month contract.
But it can ultimately save a client money by making the legal process quicker and more efficient, coaches tell Axios.
"We're working to reduce conflict — essentially to settle via mediation and not to have a lengthy litigated divorce," says Hanney.
The intrigue: Divorce coaching has become popular in large metro areas like D.C., where white collar professionals have the resources to hire them, say coaches.
And Washington's transience can also lead to more conflict in relationships and, therefore, divorce, says Hanney.
She often works with expats or diplomat families, whose international connections can complicate a separation.
Between the lines: Do your research — the divorce coach landscape is not well-regulated, meaning it's easy for people to say they're coaches without having formal certification, reported the New York Times.