• A commitment by the parties and their attorneys to resolve their disputes outside of the court system
• A process intentionally geared toward settlement from the outset
• An open, honest, yet confidential exchange of information by the parties
• Reduces financial, time and emotional costs
• Helps maintain important relationships
• Protects confidentiality and avoids publicity
• Keeps the parties in control of the process
• Encourages mutual respect
• Provides open communication
• Uses a problem-solving approach
• Identifies and addresses all parties’ interests and concerns

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It begins with something you both can agree on: self-respect.

The end of a marriage or relationship can be tragic enough. Often, the process of divorcing only adds to the pain. You and your spouse or partner may come to see each other as adversaries and the divorce as a battleground. You may experience feelings of confusion, anger, loss and conflict. Under such circumstances, you might find it difficult to see an end to divorce, much less imagine a hopeful future afterwards.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A growing number of parting couples, along with other professionals such as lawyers, mental health professionals and financial specialists, have been seeking a more constructive alternative. These professionals have developed the Collaborative Practice model.

Collaborative Practive is a reasonable approach to divorce based on three principles:

• A pledge not to go to court
• An honest exchange of information by both spouses
• A solution that takes into account the highest priorities of both adults and their children

Mutual respect is fundamental to the collaborative way. You may cease being spouses, but you don’t cease being worthy human beings. When respect is given and received, discussions are likely to be more productive and an agreement reached more easily.