When Sarah was a senior in high school working on her college applications, her mom told her that she needed to include that her parents had been divorced since she was four years old. Sarah was told it was because being a child of divorce is an adversity that she had to overcome. Sarah's jaw dropped, and she looked in disbelief as she asked why. Her mom told her it was because she lived in two homes and had to go back and forth. That made it more challenging to keep track of her things, including her homework. There is also a presumption that since her parents are divorced, they don't get along and don't communicate as well regarding her needs.

There are many reasons why people prefer mediation over a litigated divorce. Divorces are litigated, meaning people fight for what they want through the courts. When people mediate, they agree on all the terms and file for dissolution with the courts.

Undertstand the dos and don’ts of ending your marriage. You have options but the options do not stem from you being taken advantage of during the process.

To avoid judgments, pay attention to your thoughts. Judgmental thoughts will lead to judgmental words. To avoid judgmental thoughts, let go of the oughts and shoulds. Stop beating yourself up for what you should have done. Instead of focusing on, “I shouldn’t have done…” Think about why you did what you did. What were you thinking and feeling at the time?

Do you wonder why some people/families are able to transform into a stronger unit after the divorce while others are constantly fighting? Why some people’s finances are destroyed, yet others are strong? Why some kids are fine after divorce, yet others are a wreck?

A puke chute for, those of you who are not familiar with cross country races, is the chute. that cross country runners run into at the finish line of the race. As a volunteer at a puck chute, I learned that once runners enter the chute, some of them puke, (hence the name), others fall down, or others just stop, unwilling to endure the pain any longer.

Laurie separated from her ex when her daughter Sammy was two and a half years old. When Sammy, at the age of ten, saw Laurie working on her website, Laurie asked her if she had anything she wanted to share with parents who are divorcing. Here’s what Sammy wanted to share, almost word for word. Laurie’s comments are in parentheses.

Divorce is a legal process, so we believe that it’s usually best if the mediator is an attorney who has had experience representing divorce parties..

Do you need just a little bit of help processing your divorce?

That’s what unbundled, sometimes called limited scope, legal services are all about. You decide what you need assistance with, so you control the costs. This is different than full representation for litigation. For full representation

I help couples work together to resolve all the issues of their dissolution. We start with the framework of the law for your situation, and from there you I help you and your spouse make decisions that work for each of you at the time of the dissolution, and down the road as well.

As your attorney I will help you develop a plan so you can achieve the results that work for you. I will negotiate with your spouse or their attorney, and I will prepare all the paperwork that has to be filed with the court.

This used to be the standard method of obtaining a divorce. Each spouse has an attorney represent them in court and their attorney argues their case to the judge. Litigation is effective when: