by Sharon Klempner, MSW, LCSW, BCD
There’s a lot of talk about mindfulness lately….focusing on being in the moment, being fully present without being overly reactive or overwhelmed. Add awareness and non-judgmental to the list. We can take a class in mindfulness, do the exercises and help develop greater inner peace. Harder to imagine is mindfulness going through divorce…a life altering experience, the angst, the pain…but… there is a way, collaborative divorce.
Unlike traditional divorce, with two attorneys often strategizing to get the best deal (which can cause considerable strife between partners/spouses) , the collaborative method consists of a team (trained in mediation and the collaborative process), dedicated to making your divorce respectful and out of court. The attorneys work cooperatively, while still protecting their client. All work together to come up with a plan that serves both parties and children in a non-judgmental yet purposeful atmosphere.
In addition to the attorneys are licensed mental health professionals who help maintain the emotional temperature in the room. It is not therapy, but a supportive way to know what you want and need, going forward, without emotionally damaging either partner/spouse. The collaborative facilitator is there if you or your partner/spouse get ‘overheated’ and need to take a break. They offer assistance and guidance to calm partners/spouses and to more effectively present their thoughts and needs. The facilitator can help inform the attorneys on the best way to proceed, considering the personalities and situation.
The collaborative child specialist informs parents, after briefly meeting with the children, of their concerns to better tailor the Parenting Plan to meet the specific needs of their family. They are trained to understand children of all ages and make them feel comfortable and safe as their parents navigate through the divorce process. The result is a more cooperative co-parenting team to continue as a family, but in two homes. Children learn, via parents, that coming apart does not need to tear people apart.
When appropriate, a collaborative financial expert joins the team to help couples divide their assets and establish a realistic budget that will work for both. These experts are not only skilled in dealing with figures but also dealing with the stress people experience and helping them toward a more relaxed way to ‘divide the pie’.
In collaborative divorce, you do not go to the court, in itself a stressful environment. No, you are settled in a lawyer’s quiet consultation room, with conscientious seating so all are equal and comfortable. You are assisted in focusing on what is important to you and to state that in a manner that expresses your needs without offending or distancing your partner/spouse. None of us can change the past. Team members help couples stay in the present which is the best way to plan for the future. They do not overemphasize the negative but pay attention to the positive. In a non-judgmental manner, collaborative professionals help couples pay attention to what is essential to them. Each couple and family is unique. Collaborative professionals celebrate that and the concept that when mindfulness prevails during divorce, all family members can grow and move past division and create addition in their lives.
About the Author
Sharon Klempner, MSW, LCSW, BCD, has a clinical practice in Ridgewood, New Jersey where she counsels children, adolescents, adults and couples. She is a collaborative coach and child specialist and provides parenting coordination and reunification therapy as well as stepfamily counseling. Sharon was a founding member of the New Jersey Council of Collaborative Professionals and serves on the board of the Collaborative Divorce Association of North Jersey.