Divorce Self-evaluation Survey (DSS)

You’ll take 15 to 20 minutes to complete a confidential survey. Your unique situation will then be evaluated based on eight essential elements used by professionals. Within minutes, you will receive a comprehensive report that identifies which divorce options will likely be a match with you.

After completing your survey, you will receive:

A unique DSS score
A comprehensive report describing the divorce options that match your score
A detailed description of how each option works
Clear suggestions for moving through the process well
An extensive resource list including publications and online information and services
Tips on how to find services near you.

DSS SURVEY from www.susangamache.com

Step 1 of 8

SECTION ONE: RELATIONSHIP QUALITY
I. Comfort, Cooperation & Communication
A. How comfortable are you being in the same room with your spouse discussing your separation?
B. What have you accomplished so far in terms of working together to resolve the tasks of your separation?
C. How effectively do you and your spouse communicate?
D. What means do you communicate by?
E. How well do you and your spouse cooperate?

VI. Complexity of Issues About Parenting
If there are no children and no pets involved in your situation please choose the Not Applicable option in the questions below. If there are one or more pets (and NO CHILDREN) that are a part of your family, please answer the question F at the end of this section.
A. If your child(ren) are aware of the separation, how are they doing with the change in the family? (This could include general emotional stability, general health, school, friends, sibling relationships.) If they are currently unaware, how do you anticipate they will do with it?
B. To what degree do you value the other parent in the welfare of the children?
C. To what degree are you and your spouse fully involved parents, even if your roles sometimes differ.
D. To what degree are you and your spouse in agreement when it comes to parenting and decision-making about educational, medical and spiritual or religious practices?
E. For you and/or your spouse, to what degree is there stress concerning a desire to move away?
F. If you have NO CHILDREN but have one or more pets in your family, to what degree are you and your spouse in agreement about living arrangements and daily care for your pet(s) post separation?

VIII. Complexity of Financial Knowledge and Expertise
A. To what degree is there a difference in the level of financial sophistication or knowledge between you and your spouse?
B. To what degree do you believe that financial projections would be useful or important? (Using a financial professional with a specialized computer program to estimate how different financial options are likely to play out in the future.)
C. To what degree will valuations be important to reaching a financial settlement? (Getting official assessments of how much things are worth.)
D. To what degree is specific financial assistance needed?
E. To what degree is financial assistance resisted by the person(s) needing it?
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Divorce Self-evaluation Survey (DSS)

DSS SURVEY from www.susangamache.com

Step 1 of 8

SECTION ONE: RELATIONSHIP QUALITY

I. Comfort, Cooperation & Communication

II. Indicators Of Distrust

III. Mental, Emotional & Social Well Being

IV. Physical & Emotional Safety

SECTION TWO: COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES

V. How much are you and your spouse in agreement about what's important as as you go through the tasks of separation/divorce?

VI. Complexity of Issues About Parenting

VII. Complexity of Legal Issues

VIII. Complexity of Financial Knowledge and Expertise