Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative Divorce

Collaborative Divorce requires that clients select: 2 Attorneys, a neutral Financial Specialist, 2 Communications Coaches and a neutral Child/Adult Child Specialist. The extent to which licensed Mental Health Professionals are used depends on the couples’ skill set. In general, the less skilled a couple is at communicating and regulating their emotions, the more help they will need to get to the Divorce finish line. Neutral Child or Adult Child Specialists roles are also filled by licensed mental health professionals.

The couple agrees to select a neutral Child or Adult Child Specialist to ensure the impact on young and adult children is fully considered. Children are given “a voice, not a choice” over decisions that belong to co-parents. A neutral Child Specialist informs co-parenting, represents children’s needs, addresses the wellbeing of the children, and limits the adverse impact of divorce on children.

Couples agree to select a neutral financial specialist. Each partner chooses his/her own collaborative attorney who legally represents each client. Each partner also selects a licensed mental health professional who functions as a “Divorce Communications Coach” to manage intense emotions, facilitate communication/co-parenting, and mediates the parenting plan. Additional professionals may be included in the collaborative process if needed by a given couple.

Couples typically begin by getting their legally-required financial  information to the neutral Financial Specialist, who prepares Declarations of Disclosure for each spouse. The Financial Specialist can also help clients prepare budgets for various scenarios, before they start negotiating how they will share their income, assets and debts.

While working with the Financial Specialist, the couple may also be setting up appointments for children and adult children with the neutral Child Specialist in preparation for mediating the Parenting Plan with both Coaches. Once the Parenting Plan is complete, and all financial data is organized and analyzed by the Financial Specialist, the couple can begin mediating with their attorneys to decide how they’ll share their income, assets and debts. Depending on a couple’s interpersonal skill or financial needs, Communication Coaches and/or the neutral Financial Specialist may be needed during this mediation process.

The professional team works together following streamlined protocols to help each couple generate outcomes that suit their family’s unique needs, budgets and values.

Our Professionals – financial specialists, licensed mental health professionals and attorneys – are specifically trained in Collaborative Divorce protocols for functioning efficiently as interdisciplinary teams. You can review our biographies and select your collaborative team by calling and interviewing Virtual Divorce California Professionals. Starting the process is as simple as calling any one of us.