Collaborative Law Institute Blog – Family Law Attorneys & Professionals
Themes in Divorce From Movie Blue Jasmine
I recently saw the new Woody Allen film, Blue Jasmine. It stars Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin as a couple who live the high life and then the low life following divorce. The story line and themes in this movie seemed true to me based on my work with many divorcing...
Friends Don’t Let Friends Divorce Badly: 5 Ways to Help Your Friends During a Difficult Time
Divorce is never truly good. But a bad divorce can create many years of devastation. If you have a friend or family member approaching divorce it can be difficult to watch the economic and emotional turmoil unfold, particularly if there are children involved. As a...
3 Major Divorce Myths
Having consulted with hundreds of clients over the years, I have learned that there are many popular misconceptions about divorce. Acting on misinformation can result in long-term, unintended consequences for your family. I’ll address three such myths here: Myth #1:...
The Broken Circle Project
What are the stories that adult children of divorced parents have to tell? This was the question that sparked an incredible project by photographer Karen Klein, culminating in two Broken Circle books. Karen interviewed young adults in the U.S. and Dominican Republic...
Tissues on the Table: Emotions in Divorce
In a collaborative divorce process – there are usually tissues on the table. When a client first comes into an attorney’s office to tell their story or learn about divorce, it can be emotional and scary. Some people cry. Some of those tears come from sadness, fear, or...
Divorcing Mindfully
Mindfulness is a concept that has become part of mainstream American culture over the past decade. Hectic lifestyles, information overload and constant distractions have led more of us to look for a way to quiet our minds. In fact, many public schools, professional...
Avoid Hurting Children by Divorce
I recently viewed a TED video about the impact of divorce on children. Professor Tamara Afifi, a professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, presented the results of her research. Here are some of her findings: CONFLICT BETWEEN PARENTS, NOT DIVORCE, HARMS...
7 Elements of a Respectful Divorce
Collaborative divorce is often considered the “respectful way to divorce.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that the divorce is always amicable (although it can be), it means the divorce is done with grace and courtesy. Here are some (of the many) ways in which...
Will Divorce Ruin Your Life? Understanding Statistics.
The popular media makes a healthy profit on promoting disaster, and casting everything possible in the language of disaster. “Shocking!” and “Horrifying!” are two words we see all too often. Regarding divorce, the popular media has created disaster myths around such...
Secrets to Resolving Conflicts based on Antoinette Tuff
Compassion overruled a machine gun this week. The actions of one courageous school clerk at a Georgia elementary school saved countless lives. The skills she demonstrated in convincing a desperate man to put down his weapons can teach all of us how to resolve...
