Why The Family Court System Is Failing To Protect Mental Health (and What We Can Do Differently)

Meet Sara Marler, a powerhouse attorney and visionary leader in family law. As the managing attorney and partner at Marler Law Partners in St. Louis, Sara has redefined what it means to practice family law. She’s not only reshaping the field with trauma-informed practices but also creating a haven for clients in one of life’s most challenging moments.

Sara’s journey into family law wasn’t traditional. She began her career as a prosecutor, enamored with trial work, and found herself at the front lines of high-stakes cases. But as time went on, Sara realized that her true calling lay in helping families—not in court battles but in compassionate, thoughtful transitions.

Today, she operates a practice that’s anything but conventional. Her firm is trauma-informed , collaborative, and client-focused, with a therapist on staff to offer holistic support to clients navigating divorce and custody cases.?

Her mission? To ensure that every client leaves feeling empowered, respected, and, most importantly, healed.

A Different Kind of Law Firm

At Marler Law Partners, clients and staff alike are treated to a unique environment designed to support healing and growth. The firm’s offices don’t look or feel like a traditional law office. With a carefully crafted atmosphere complete with calming colors, aromatherapy, and soothing sounds, Sara’s firm allows clients to feel safe from the moment they step in.

Sara’s team includes a therapist who serves as a client advocate, offering a level of support that is both legally strategic and emotionally sensitive. This role is not only valuable for clients but also remains confidential under work-product privilege, ensuring that clients can be fully transparent without fear of legal repercussions. This unique integration helps clients manage their emotions in real time and promotes a truly holistic legal experience.

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Family Law

In family law, emotions are high, and stakes are even higher. Sara knows that family law clients aren’t coming to her on their best days. Recognizing that these clients are experiencing major life upheavals, she’s adopted a trauma-informed approach. By focusing on the psychological well-being of her clients and collaborating with therapists, Sara ensures her clients are not just legally represented but emotionally supported.

She’s also a pioneer in the use of collaborative divorce, a process that keeps families out of court and facilitates communication between parties. In a collaborative divorce, each party has a lawyer, a financial neutral, and a mental health professional. This team-centered approach fosters creative problem-solving and avoids the adversarial nature of traditional divorce.

“It’s about minimizing conflict and creating solutions that honor the needs of the whole family, ” Sara shares. “With a therapist guiding the process, we help clients get through a tough situation with dignity and peace.”

Revolutionizing How Families Experience Divorce

Sara’s goal is to revolutionize how family law is practiced, moving from an adversarial system to one that centers on mental health, collaboration, and family healing. She’s seen firsthand how the traditional system can fail families, exacerbating trauma rather than healing it.

For her, it’s about treating families as dynamic systems, not just clients in need of a legal outcome. By working directly with therapists and other specialists, Sara’s team provides resources that many clients wouldn’t receive otherwise. And in a field where the personal is as critical as the legal, this makes all the difference.

The Future of Family Law: Empowerment and Change

Sara’s work is an inspiring reminder that family law can—and should—be about more than just legal outcomes. Her trauma-informed, collaborative approach creates a framework where clients can heal, regain control, and transition into new lives with resilience and hope.

In a profession that’s often steeped in tradition, Sara is challenging the norms and proving that family law can serve as a powerful vehicle for change.

Interested in learning more about Sara’s revolutionary approach to family law? Listen to the latest Powerhouse Lawyers Podcast episode with Sara Marler, where she shares insights into building a practice focused on compassion, collaboration, and true family support.

Connect With Sara:

LinkedIn: https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/sara-marler-687565184/

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://marlerlawpartners.com/

About the Author: Erin Gerner is a former lawyer turned coach, entrepreneur, and host of the Powerhouse Lawyers podcast. She helps female lawyers step into their power, break through limiting beliefs, and build lives they can’t wait to wake up for. Learn more about her coaching programs and schedule an obligation free strategy call, connect with her here .?