Family Law – Litigation or Collaborative Practice?

By: Robert H. Croezen, MSW, RSW, Therapist, Collaborative Practitioner (Note to Reader: I am sharing my Professional Opinion after 30 years of Professional Practice as a Mental Health professional. These views are my own. They may or may not be shared by the Professional Colleagues with whom I work.) I have worked as a Mental Health Professional for over 30 years. For the past 18 years,...Read More

Negotiating without your partner in the room: why clapping with two hands is more effective

By: Tanya Chamberlain, Lawyer You and your partner have decided to end your relationship. You both agree you want to negotiate an agreement in non-adversarial process: neither of you wants to go to court. You have heard many stories from friends of what litigation can do to a couple, their finances and their kids. You are both clear that is not for you. You both want an effective...Read More

People Aren’t How You Think They Are!

By: Darius Pazirandeh, Mediator and Lawyer If you have been looking at this website thinking “This Collaborative practice sounds great for some people, but you don’t know !”, this article is aimed at you. My intent is for you to consider that this person isn’t how you think they are. We tend to see the people in our lives through a filter of what we already...Read More

The Reality of Divorce – An Opportunity for Growth

By: Kirstin Menzies, Family Lawyer Although Statistics Canada has not been collecting Canada’s annual marriage and divorce rates since 2008, it seems fairly widely accepted that over 40% of Canadian marriages are expected to end in divorce before the couple reach their 50th wedding anniversary. Such statistics do not account for further separations experienced by unmarried spouses...Read More

Still Considering the Collaborative Approach to Divorce?

By: Renée le Nobel, CPA, CA, Creating Financial Clarity for Individuals and Families You and your ex have decided to consider the collaborative approach to divorce. This is commendable, as it is a gigantic hurdle to get to this point of agreement with someone you are in conflict with. Most people I know like the idea of a collaborative approach and when I suggest it as the best approach...Read More

You’ve accepted that divorce is the only choice – now what?

By: Shelina Sayani, Collaborative Family Law If you have made and accepted that divorce is your only choice, I’m sure this has been one of the most painful, difficult and heart wrenching decisions that you have ever had to make. Maybe you tried counselling, marriage therapy, self-help or sought help through friends and family and you now have to figure out how you want to deal...Read More