Collaborative Divorce requires requires that clients select: 2 Attorneys, a neutral Financial Specialist, 2 Communications Coaches and a neutral Child/Adult Child Specialist. The extent to which Mental Health Professionals are used depends on the couples’ skill set. In general, the less skilled a couple is at communicating and regulating their emotions, the more help they will need to get to the finish line. Child and Adult Child Specialists roles are filled by licensed mental health professionals. The Child or Adult Child Specialist is selected even for adult children, based on the Communication Coaches’ recommendations, to ensure adult children are kept out of the middle and are not used by parents to manage their differences. Other professionals may be included in the collaborative process as needed by the couple.
Couples agree to select a neutral financial specialist. Each partner chooses his/her own collaborative attorney and licensed mental health professional (“Divorce Communications Coach” who helps handle intense emotions and facilitates co-parenting). A neutral child specialist informs co-parenting, represents children’s needs, addresses the best interests of the children, and limits the adverse impact of divorce on children. The professional team works together to help each couple generate outcomes to suit their family’s unique needs.
Your team of collaborative professionals works together to reduce costs and ensure couples receive the particular expertise needed. Couples using this process find that their agreements are more satisfying and long-lasting. In addition, co-parenting relationships are usually more effective for families who have used the collaborative divorce process.
Pasadena Collaborative Divorce (PCD) professionals – financial specialists, licensed mental health professionals and attorneys – are specifically trained in the Collaborative Divorce process. You can review our biographies and select your collaborative team by calling and interviewing PCD professionals. Starting the process is as simple as calling any one of us.