Family Court counsellors fear they will be put out of business by Government moves towards mediation of cases.
Mediation is to become the first option for all Family Court cases, apart from urgent domestic or child abuse matters.
The changes, designed to save $70 million in the next four years, will cut the court's six free counselling sessions to just one.
The Wellington Family Court Counsellors Group says the move fails to recognise that emotion drives disputes.
Spokesperson Hillary Smith says the shrinking workload will probably drive some counsellors to quit.
