Intro

There are financial and emotional costs to divorce. For example, a “contested” divorce with angry partners can be expensive due to attorney fees.

There are also emotional costs of divorce, such as grief and loss, along with lingering resentments that may persist.

There are also financial and emotional costs of marriage counseling; however, generally, they can be much less compared to those of divorce.

Financial costs of divorce in legal fees

I searched Google with the phrase: How much does a divorce cost in Colorado?

The first number I found was approximately $10,000 to $15,000 for a divorce in Colorado. The article I read stated that those are the average attorney fees for a “contested” divorce, that is, one in which both partners don’t agree on how to divide up assets and custody.

The article stated that the cost of a divorce is related to the level of conflict in the relationship. If both partners feel angry and resentful toward each other, the divorce may incur higher legal fees.

Where marriage counseling can help

If both of you don’t want to divorce and are motivated to save the relationship, marriage counseling can help you work through old resentments, understand your negative dynamics and create a positive environment of understanding and collaboration.

Perhaps divorce is inevitable due to circumstances. Marriage counseling can compassionately clarify that fact. Even if a marriage must end, both parties can do so with collaboration and dignity, not animosity.

Marriage counseling can help you address aspects of yourself that feel overly angry and resentful. Generally, intense anger can be traced back to our upbringing, and even if the relationship ends, partners can become less angry for their children.

Examining these issues in marriage counseling may incur the emotional costs of temporary pain. Nevertheless, the objective is to address them so that, as Pia Mellody says, we do not “let our wounding loose on other people.”  

Financial costs of marriage counseling

A master’s-level marriage counselor in the Denver metro charges an average of $200 per hour. If you both meet for eight sessions, that will total $1,600. This is significantly cheaper than a contested divorce, which costs $10 to $15k.

Conclusion

Divorce can be costly — financially and emotionally — but it doesn’t have to be the only path.

If you two are motivated to stay together or to gain clarity on whether the relationship will work, marriage counseling offers a more affordable (emotionally and financially) alternative to divorce.

Marriage counseling allows couples to understand each other better, break old patterns, and rediscover what initially brought you together.

Marriage counseling also aims to foster insight and emotional healing, helping both partners and their families build healthier futures.

Even if separation and divorce become necessary, counseling can help guide both partners toward a more peaceful and respectful transition.