When going through a divorce, there are unlimited resources to support you, such as legal, financial and emotional, but there is one HUGE piece of the puzzle that is not being addressed. This missing piece is essential and considered a foundational life skill when dealing with a stressful and emotional situation, especially a divorce. Let me explain… As a Divorce Mentor for over ten years, I have heard many reasons why couples want a divorce, such as not feeling heard, understood, appreciated, respected and/or just not compatible. As one client said, “We just can’t seem to get along. We don’t enjoy or want the same things in life.” Combine...

In my jurisdiction of Florida, in order to become certified as a Family Law Mediator, you must observe a certain amount of mediations. This structure helps newly trained mediators become more comfortable in their role and also helps with quality control. We can learn from the successes of mediation, but one of the largest challenges that my collaborative community has faced is the unwillingness of clients and many professionals to permit “observers” or “shadows” on their cases. As a relatively young yet rapidly growing collaborative community, offering newly-trained practitioners the opportunity to see a collaborative case has become...

A Walk to the Courthouse for a Collaborative Lawyer By Gail B. Nunn Today as I walked from my office four blocks to the county courthouse, I thought about how my seemingly simple walk was a lot like getting divorced. It also brought to mind the pieces of the collaborative team and process and how the collaborative experience can make the walk to the courthouse safer and saner. First I took an elevator ride down 12 floors. When you first realize or decide your marriage is over it can feel like the floor fell away and that you descended to the depths of despair. You may hit bottom and not know what lies ahead. It’s a good idea to get some...

Authors of Navigating Emotional Currents in Collaborative Divorce: A Guide to Enlightened Team Practice Questions posed by Kevin R. Scudder, Collaborative Attorney, Seattle, WA Kate and Lisa: You wrote your book Navigating Emotional Currents in Collaborative Divorce in 2010. The book has been instrumental to me and other Collaborative Practitioners. I believe that your book is a must-read for anyone, Coach, Child Specialist, Financial or Lawyer, who wants to work in Collaborative Law. I said as much in the review of your book posted in the World of Collaborative Practice at https://theworldofcollaborativepractice.com/?p=1626  and suggested...

Productive dialogue is essential in the Collaborative Practice approach to Divorce.  That requires both self awareness AND genuine empathy for the other person… whether colleague, client or soon-to-be-ex.  I spent some time with Cat Zavis talking about how we can each make that possible during Divorce. Cat Zavis has upcoming trainings for collaborative professionals, mediators, and parents (among others) to help them navigate conflict (both inner and outer) with greater skill and success: Cat is offering a FREE teleclass for divorced or divorcing Co-Parents  on Monday, February 10th, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM Pacific Time.  This FREE...

Ms. Gladel gives an overview of the history of Collaborative Practice in France, from its origins in the work of two Harvard Law professors to the application in the French system.  She notes that the traditional system can be fraught with delays that ultimately violate the petitioners human rights and that the Collaborative method is growing because of its ability to work with the parties more efficiently without the restrictions of the court docket.  The goals, advantages and processes are clearly defined and illustrated with charts and diagrams for clarity.  Collaborative is also compared to other ADR methods to demonstrate the...