Woody and carl Michael talk about Collaborative Practice as a Consumer Service Product, the value of client involvement in designing the support they need from the CP process, the role, if any, sharing personal details and ‘war stories’ by the professionals and more….. We’ll touch on even more topics as he and I continue our conversation.  Please add your comments and questions and we’ll try to integrate them into a future chat. ************* “Talking with…” is an ongoing set of videotaped discussions between carl Michael rossi and others who train, practice and/or have an interest in...

In my previous article I introduced an exciting and much needed approach to divorce called Collaborative Divorce.  I discussed how the process of Collaborative divorce empowers the divorcing couple by allowing them to structure their own divorce with the assistance of trained professionals (Financial, Mental Health, and Attorneys) whose sole job is to settle the case without having to go to court.  I pointed out that this process is faster, cheaper and much less traumatic on the divorcing couple and their children by providing a ‘safe’ environment where everyone maintains respect, honesty and dignity. I also asked the rhetorical question as...

According to a survey which can be found on the web site of the National Center for Health Statistics, 43% of all marriages will end before 15 years.  (First Marriage Dissolution, Divorce, and Remarriage: United States. Advance Data No. 323. 19 pp. (PHS) 2001-1250.) What this means is that most people in this country are or will be living under a court order before they die or their children are grown. Looked at in this stark light, our current approach to divorce is shocking, unworkable and even pathological.  Looked at from any distance, we can see that families do not truly survive the adversarial arena, and that traditional court...