Collaborative Divorce is a process that puts you in charge of your divorce. In the traditional adversarial divorce process, the judge makes the final decisions. In a Collaborative case, you and your spouse make the decisions that are best suited for you and your family. Through Collaborative, we form a team of professionals who are trained in their specific area to help support and educate you as you navigate through divorce.
Neutral Financial Professionals
We use financial experts to analyze your financial situation and to develop options for dividing assets and planning your financial future. The financial professionals are CPAs, business valuators, and certified divorce financial analysists who are trained in Collaborative Divorce.
Divorce Coaches
Collaborative Divorce also use specialists who serve as divorce coaches. These professionals are licenses mental health professionals, who are trained and educated to work with clients going through divorce. They help coach you and your spouse on successful communication through the divorce process and into the future in your new roles. Many times, the divorce coaches are the glue that holds that process together.
Child Specialists
Child Specialists are licensed mental health professionals who have expertise working with children and specifically children impacted by divorce. They share information and educate families about the impact of divorce on children depending on the children’s developmental stages. The Child Specialists are a “voice” for the children and their interests. They also help craft parenting plans that are specifically tailored each unique family.
Collaborative Divorce Attorneys
The Collaborative attorneys provide the legal background and the legal guidance. The attorneys are specially trained in Collaborative Divorce. They work together to educate, problem-solve and present options. The attorneys also file all the necessary paperwork with the court and memorialize the divorce settlement agreement into a Judgment filed with the court.
Post-Divorce Benefits
When you come out of the Collaborative Divorce Process, you have agreements in place that you created together. This sets the foundation for how you are going to move forward with your new family structure. You established expectations, and if you run into unforeseen issues or new problems that come up in the future, you have the resources to address those issues. You can communicate with each other because you have established a foundation and ground rules for how to have productive co-parenting communication. You also know how to maintain a respectful relationship in a new format. Many can go as far as continuing to have a positive relationship with the other person. At a minimum, you can be in the same room, and be part of a family celebrations, together in a respectful manner.