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Collaborative Divorce Players

What Is Collaborative Law?

What Professional Resources Are Available In The Collaborative Law Process?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Collaborative Law?

Does The Collaborative Process Protect My Rights?

What Kind Of Conflicts Does Collaborative Law Solve?

What Is Collaborative Divorce and How Does It Work?  Click HERE!

Collaborative Divorce Team Players--Click HERE!

I. Coach

The Coach is a licensed mental health professional with specialized training in Collaborative Divorce]

A. Individual Coaching Goals

1. Help client develop skills to manage stress, emotional reactivity, clarify thoughts.
2. Work on effective conversation.

a. Interrupt and change ineffective communication patterns.
b. Develop skills:
         i. Listening
         ii. Problem-solving
         iii. Assertiveness
         iv. Negotiating

B. Manage emotions.
C. Help clients develop insight into their own emotions, behaviors, and goals.
D. Develop awareness of spouse's views, impact of client's behaviors on spouse.
E. Educate client about the effects of divorce / parent dynamics on individuals and children.
F. Focus on developing skills for Collaboration and achieving personal goals (not therapy).
G. Create co-parenting and individual goals.
H. Translate goals into action.
I. Four-Way Meetings (Coaches and Clients)
J. Provide facilitation of problem solving and building of communications skills within the family system.
K. Help clients develop mutual goals (a "Mission Statement") for their new co-parenting relationship.
L. Help clients agree upon a structure of communication.
M. When needed, coach clients on parenting skills and techniques.
N. Coaches assist clients in developing their parenting plan.

Ref. Page 9.4, Collaborative Lawyer Handbook,
 
II.   As Team Members - Coaches:

A. Bring skills to enhance team communication.
B. Support the lawyers' working with their clients.
C. Provide feedback to lawyers about clients' dysfunctional patterns of communication.
D. Provide ideas, methods, and approaches to assist lawyers in their work with clients.
E. Have the same Collaborative Commitment Agreement with the clients as the other team members.

III. The Child Specialist:        

The Child Specialist is a licensed mental health professional with specialized training in both Collaborative Divorce and in helping children understand and deal with divorce

A. A Unique Role: Impartial in Relation to Parents; An Advocate for the Child.
B. Provides a safe place for the children to be heard.
C. Listens to the children and voices their needs and concerns.
D. Helps parents understand what is happening to the children.
E. Provides parents with the information they need to make important parenting decisions.
F. Has the same Collaborative Commitment Agreement with the clients as the other team members.

IV. Structure of the Process with the Child Specialist

A. Individual meeting with each parent.
B. Meets with child(ren) at least once.
      1. May utilize inventories and questionnaires to gather information.
C. Gathers information from outside resources.
D. Gives coaches or other team members information.
E. Strategizes with coaches on how to give information to parents.
F. Gives parents information in a 5-way meeting [coaches, parents, and child specialist].

Ref. Page 9.5, Collaborative Lawyer Handbook

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