Collaborative Law Institute Blog – Family Law Attorneys & Professionals
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(Click the blog title to access article links)Schedule your free 30-minute divorce consultation Click hereDivorce Professionals throughout the United States are providing free 30-minute divorce consultations. During your free consultation, you will meet privately with...
The Good News About Being Part of the Problem
I hear some version of this almost every week: “I’ve tried everything. Nothing works. I don’t think it even matters.” The person sitting across from me is genuinely exhausted. Not “we had a rough month” exhausted. I mean battle-worn, hope-thinning,...
(RE)LEARNING THE SEVEN POWERS OF PLAY – PART 2
In Part 1, we talked about how kids just seem to know how to play, and consequently, they develop important skills through play. As previously mentioned, the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul has an exhibit, “Seven Powers of Play” where kids create, tinker, and...
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: Creating Healthy Boundaries for Peaceful Co-Parenting
As a little kid growing up in my small town, I remember being a bit confused by the saying, “good fences make good neighbors.” Almost nobody bothered with fences in my neighborhood except to keep the critters out of their gardens, and everyone seemed neighborly...
Sitting With Couples at the Edge of Divorce How Discernment Counseling helps couples think more clearly in a marriage crisis
By the time many couples reach my office, they are exhausted. Not “we’re struggling to communicate” exhausted. I mean sleeping-on-the-couch, avoiding real conversation, reading lawyer reviews, terrified for the kids, Googling-apartments-at-1:00-AM...
(RE)LEARNING THE SEVEN POWERS OF PLAY – PART 1
I love museums, and fortunately, so does my family. When my kids were little, my husband and I often took them to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul. In addition to the exhibits, the Museum has ways for kids to just be. I loved watching my kiddos create,...
Collaborative Divorce in Minnesota: The Financial Neutral’s Role in Creating Better Outcomes
When Minnesota couples choose Collaborative Divorce, they are choosing a process designed to resolve divorce without court, without escalation, and without unnecessary financial damage. At the center of this process is a role many people have never heard of—but one...
What is Child Inclusive Mediation and when do you use it?
Child Inclusive Mediation is a process that allows children to have a voice in the divorce process. In Child Inclusive Mediation, divorcing parents and their attorneys bring in two professionals, one an experienced mediator, and the other a trained mental health...
The Good Family Law Attorney
“Can you refer me to a good family law attorney?” is a common question. Thinking about this question, I often wonder what people mean when they say “good family law attorney?” If you ask an attorney in a large firm, they often refer people to attorneys in large...
Why Court-Ordered Refinances Often Fail — and How to Prevent It
In divorce agreements, it is common to see language such as: “Spouse A shall refinance the mortgage within 90 days and remove Spouse B from liability.” On paper, that sounds simple. In practice, it often fails. As mortgage professionals working alongside collaborative...
Does Collaborative Divorce Put the Lower Income Spouse at a Disadvantage?
People sometimes tell me they’ve heard that collaborative divorce works better for the higher income spouse. The idea is that the person with more money will always have more influence, more control, and more options. If you earn less than your spouse, it can feel...
