ABOUT YOUR COACH - MARIE SARANTAKIS, ESQ.
Practicing Divorce Attorney
Marie Sarantakis is a prominent litigator and well-recognized divorce attorney frequently representing high net worth and notable spouses. She is licensed in both Illinois and Wisconsin. She handles high conflict cases in the courtroom and is also a Fellow of Collaborative Divorce Illinois.
Ms. Sarantakis has been selected by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, a distinction given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois, and was featured in Chicago Magazine. She has been named as one of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, Top 10 Female Attorneys in Illinois by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, and featured as a Fellow of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
If you wish to learn more about retaining Marie Sarantakis as your divorce attorney, please visit www.sarantakislaw.com.
Certified Christian Life Coach and Instructor
Marie Sarantakis is a certified Christian Life Coach and leads the online training for Adrikos Academy's Devotional Coach program.
If you are interested in becoming a Christian Life Coach, please visit Adrikos Academy.
Trained Parenting Coordinator and Guardian ad Litem
Marie Sarantakis serves as a Parenting Coordinator and completed her training with the Association of Family and Conciliation Counsel. She has also attended mandatory training with the Kane County Bar Association, DuPage County Bar Association, and Chicago Volunteer Legal Services to serve as a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem and represents children's best interests in courtrooms in Illinois.
Skilled Mediator and Arbitrator
Marie Sarantakis completed forty-hour mediation certification through the Center for Conflict Resolution in 2015. She serves as a court-appointed and private mediator in several counties in Illinois. Ms. Sarantakis is also trained as an arbitrator through the DuPage County Bar Association.
Certified Financial Litigator
Marie Sarantakis is a Certified Financial Litigator (CFL™) through the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators. Membership in the AACFL is reserved for an elite group of practitioners dedicated to meeting the highest standards of financial representation and of ethical practice. The CFL™ designation is a financial education award granted by the organization to select practitioners who have received this high-level training and passed the CFL™ examination.
DO I REALLY NEED A DIVORCE COACH?
The Benefits
A divorce attorney helps you with your legal issues. A therapist helps you with your psychological and emotional issues. A divorce coach helps you with your personal issues which shape the divorce and rebuilding your life thereafter. They are a divorce recovery mentor keeping you educated and encouraged throughout the process.
People don’t often realize there are several ways to get a divorce. Most hire a divorce attorney and proceed in traditional litigation, but divorce is not one-size-fits-all. A divorce coach can help you determine first and foremost, whether divorce makes sense for you. Then, they can help you explore the different ways of obtaining a divorce by exploring the pros and cons of traditional litigation, collaborative law, and mediation. Based on your relationship history and desired outcomes, your coach can help you figure out how to simplify the process so that you are not wasting any unnecessary time or money.
It is very easy to become bitter and/or despondent after a breakdown in your relationship. Many people view the end of a relationship as something that has happened to them and beyond their control. Granted that every breakup deserves a mourning period; however, you have the power to harness change to evolve into a better version of yourself. What if this divorce was the best thing to ever happen to you? Whether it is or isn't, is actually 100% up to you.
You need to take action to put yourself in a better position even when you are not ready. Even when you don’t feel like it. You cannot wait until you heal to take actions to better yourself and plan your future. Those that wait often find themselves in a perpetual mode of feeling as though they are the victim. You must rebuild your life from a place of strength, not weakness.
You have every reason to be afraid of the unknown. It is scary and you are expected to make major decisions that will determine how happy, healthy, and financially independent you will be moving forward. You are making these decisions at a time when you are feeling the most lost, overwhelmed, and confused.
Take control of the divorce process and of your future. Get rid of the unknowns and reduce your stress so that you can focus on healing. Divorce, just like marriage, has the ability to transform your life for better or for worse. Which one will you choose?
If you’re ready, I'm here to help you design a beautiful and better new life.
What Makes Us Different
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
While coaching is not therapy, and we cannot diagnose or treat any mental or psychological issues, a coach can help you navigate the challenges of the legal system and co-parenting with a Narc.
Victims of NPD abuse are especially in need of finding their voice and recreating their identities post-Narc.
Learn about how NPD can impact a div
While coaching is not therapy, and we cannot diagnose or treat any mental or psychological issues, a coach can help you navigate the challenges of the legal system and co-parenting with a Narc.
Victims of NPD abuse are especially in need of finding their voice and recreating their identities post-Narc.
Learn about how NPD can impact a divorce case and what you can do to regain your strength in the process.
Faith-Based Coaching Centered Around Scripture
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
For those who are receptive to it, coaching sessions can be Scripturally-based. Maire Sarantakis is a trained Christian Life Coach and can help you overcome the emotional, practical, and financial challenges that accompany a divorce by turning to the Word.
God uses everything for our good. He allows things to happen that we don’t underst
For those who are receptive to it, coaching sessions can be Scripturally-based. Maire Sarantakis is a trained Christian Life Coach and can help you overcome the emotional, practical, and financial challenges that accompany a divorce by turning to the Word.
God uses everything for our good. He allows things to happen that we don’t understand. We can remain at peace knowing that with time we will see how it all works out in line with His Divine Plan and Purpose for our lives.
Knowledge of the Legal System
Understanding of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Knowledge of the Legal System
By utilizing a coach who has real-life experience in the courtroom you will be able to better understand the general divorce process.
You should ideally use a divorce attorney and a divorce coach together to achieve the best possible results in your divorce. You work with the coach to explore your goals and you can then instruct your div
By utilizing a coach who has real-life experience in the courtroom you will be able to better understand the general divorce process.
You should ideally use a divorce attorney and a divorce coach together to achieve the best possible results in your divorce. You work with the coach to explore your goals and you can then instruct your divorce attorney to proceed accordingly in your case. Your divorce coach can ensure the steps being taken are designed to help you attain the desired outcome.
POTENTIAL COACHING SESSION TOPICS
Discerning Whether To File For Divorce
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
Deciding whether to file for a divorce is a major life choice that will potentially have a significant impact on your finances, career, children, and overall emotional well-being. Do you need someone who is versed in divorce to help you figure out whether it is a good idea or if the time is right?
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
What should you start doing now in order to prepare yourself for a divorce in the future? What will the divorce process look like? What types of documents will you need to provide to your attorney? Did you know there are several ways to get divorced? Not all paths are the same. Learn which one is right for you.
Channeling Your Anxious Energy Into Growth
Planning an Exit Strategy for Your Marriage
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Divorce can often leave us feeling empty or without a way to channel our creative and emotional energy. Learn how to take the void and transform it into beauty and success. Find yourself and define your joy. Those in toxic relationships often lose their voice and sense of former self. Get back to who you were so that you can determine who you want to become. Face the future with excitement and confidence.
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Divorce is difficult. Divorcing a Narc is a nightmare. Prepare yourself so that you are well-situated to battle the Narc in Court and obtain a favorable result. Learn about tricks that Narcs often pull in court and what you can do to get ahead of them. If you share kids with the Narc, what can you do to make sure your children are protected?
Becoming Your Best Post-Divorce Self
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Becoming Your Best Post-Divorce Self
Who do you want to become? How do you get there? How do you take what you receive in the divorce and use it to build your next independent, self-sustaining, and fulfilling vision for a future? How do you manifest success? Are you ready to find love again? How do you recreate your sense of style and self? Are you ready to improve your home, wardrobe, and social circles? This is strategic planning for a post-divorce landscape.
Coping with Divorce as a Christian
Handling a Narcissistic Personality Disorder Spouse
Becoming Your Best Post-Divorce Self
What does the Bible say about divorce? Are you committing a sin? How do you proceed in an adversarial divorce case and maintain your Christian values? How do you use your faith to help you find the strength to move forward? What is God's divine plan for your life? How does this divorce fit into it?
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
If you have children with your ex, you will have to continue to co-parent with them for the foreseeable future. How do you communicate with your ex moving forward? How can you get them to be less difficult? How do you talk to your children about divorce? How do you help them during the transition? Learn strategies to implement to put your children's best interests first.
Brainstorming Creative Settlement Proposals
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
Go over your priorities with your divorce coach so that you can brainstorm ideas to share with your attorney when crafting a meaningful settlement. Divorce is not one size fits all. When it is treated that way, you end up spending a great deal of money and being disappointed in the outcome.
Keeping the Costs of Divorce Down
Improving Your Co-Parenting and Protecting Your Children
Keeping the Costs of Divorce Down
Divorce can be financially devastating. Strategize how to keep the costs of your divorce down. Work with your coach so that your time with your attorney is most-effective and is aligned with your objectives.
WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE MARIE AS YOUR COACH
A Message from Marie Sarantakis
I’m a divorce attorney. I have handled a great number of extremely contentious divorce battles. I usually have a front-row seat watching people let their emotions get the best of them and then lose tens and sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars going to war with their ex. I quickly learned that even those who win their hearings or trials in court can still lose their financial stability, joy, and peace. Most say that in the end, the fight just wasn't worth it and they would have done things differently. I am here to show you there is a better way – even when you have a difficult spouse.
Your divorce attorney is there to help you win the BATTLES
I am here to help you win the WAR
I take a bird’s eye view which takes into account how your court case will impact your future finances, children, social life, and overall well-being. I can save you money in court by helping you understand your options in litigation. Unlike most divorce coaches, I am a licensed and practicing attorney in Illinois and Wisconsin, so I understand the legal process, how attorneys' fees quickly spiral out of control, and the toll the system takes on those who are in it.
Most clients that come to see me as a coach complain that they don’t understand the divorce process. They blindly turn things over to their attorney and feel in the dark about what is going to happen next. Eventually, they have been depleted of their financial resources and emotionally beaten down to such an extent that they raise a white flag and just want to settle at all costs. If they had better understood what options they had and what engaging in certain legal actions meant, they likely would have chosen a different path.
As a divorce attorney, I quickly realized that there was a missing link for many people in the system. Maybe they didn't have the right attorney, but usually, it was just that they lacked an understanding of the divorce process and did not give their attorney the right directives. Communicating with your attorney is not the same as communicating with your friends. Learn how to effectively communicate with your lawyer so that you can save valuable resources and ensure that they are taking actions consistent with your personal goals.
While I have my hands full with my work as a lawyer, and have achieved a great deal of professional success, I still felt as though something was missing. The times I was most satisfied with my work were the times when my clients told me that I provided them with peace and hope. Those words always resonated with me as a Christian. My profession is filled with so much remorse, fear, and hate. Its not a place that I like to dwell. Yet I was conflicted - because I like to win. I gained a reputation for winning, but my clients would often lose sight of the question "at what cost?".
Success in court is often defined as annihilating the other side, unfortunately for my clients, it could inadvertently turn into a suicide-mission by ultimately causing them more harm than good. Even when they prevailed in litigation, many times it was not worth the cost. It become apparent that what they often needed most was not legal advice, but personal advice. They needed someone to understand them and help them figure out who they wanted to be. They needed someone in their corner. They needed a coach to guide them through their options and help them make good decisions. A coach is not intended to replace your divorce attorney. They are there for the parts of your case that an attorney is not best-equipped to handle. I knew that divorce needed to be looked at more holistically. Divorce is not just a change in someone's legal status, it is the complete reformation of their entire life.
Divorce can be just as significant of a tragedy as death. It is not only the loss of the other spouse, but of your dreams and the vision that you once had for your life. Grieving is a must, but more importantly, you need to shift your mindset to regain hope and work towards building a better and brighter future. People can either think of divorce as a loss or as a second chance to really build the life they want - but now with more experience.
If you are looking for peace and a new chapter, but your ex keeps getting in the way; I'm here to help. No one can get through a breakup alone. How quickly you rise out of it directly depends on your support team. Divorce is something that you hopefully experience as few times as possible. No one going through it is an expert so you need a professional to guide you through the process to avoid pitfalls and receive encouragement.
A coach is especially important if you are cutting ties with a Narcissist. Narcs can drain you of your identity so that you feel lost, confused, and hopeless. You need to gain strength and be ready for the tricks they play. I have experienced Narcs on all levels: in my personal life, as the opposing party, and sometimes even as my own client. I know how these personality traits are a game-changer and I can help you not only prepare a defense, but most importantly, an offense.
If you want to learn more about divorce coaching or life coaching, send me a message. Let's enjoy a virtual coffee and chat about who you want to become. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Marie
* Leverage your divorce so that it thrusts you into the next stage of your life.
You can be happy again. *
Marie Sarantakis - Christian Divorce Coach