Why Choose The Collaborative Process

WHY CHOOSE THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS

By Paul Smollar

Imagine at the beginning of your divorce process you and your spouse are asked to identify your goals for the outcome of your divorce, that is, your goals for the present and for the future for your family, your children, your relationship with your spouse, as well as for yourself individually.

Imagine having a team of trained professionals including lawyers, mental health practitioners and financial specialists commit to work with you and your spouse towards accomplishing these goals.

Imagine working together with your spouse and this team to produce a plan that accomplishes your goals, a plan that you and your spouse craft and design to meet the specific needs of your family.

Imagine a process that exists outside of the adversarial process we all so often hear about and see on television and in the print media, a process in which you and your spouse commit to reaching a final resolution without going to Court; a process in which you and your spouse agree to full disclosure and complete transparency as you work together with this team in a cordial and constructive manner.

Imagine a process that accomplishes these results for couples who range along the spectrum from low conflict to high conflict, including complicated and complex issues regarding children and/or finances while minimizing the costs and expenses normally associated with a divorce.

That process is the Collaborative Process.

Every divorce has its legal, emotional and financial aspects. The Collaborative Process recognizes this complex nature of our lives as spouses/partners going through a divorce. The team of professionals is trained to address and work with spouses in all 3 of these areas. The goal is to afford spouses the opportunity to address and complete all issues that may be a part of the dissolution of their particular relationship. In the end, the result is a complete and durable resolution in all respects.