CALL US AT (954) 477-7455
817 S University Dr STE 121, Plantation, FL 33324

in Plantation, Florida

Helping People Through Divorce

SERVICES

Helping People Through Divorce

Are you struggling to face the reality of your situation? Do you feel alone and unsure of how to manage things? Or are you ready to move forward but want to make sure your children or your relationships are protected through this process? We are here to provide you the support you need to get through this time.

Couple in therapy

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ― William Faulkner

SERVICES

Individual therapy/Coaching

Facing the reality that your marriage is over can be painful, overwhelming, and destabilizing.  It takes time to grieve the loss of a relationship and the life you had planned for.  There may be times you feel relieved and grounded and other times you feel sad and lost.   Part of this process will be about you rediscovering yourself and redefining your identity, among other things that may come up. Therapy will help you gain the emotional clarity, strength, and tools you need to facilitate this life transition. Improve your capacity to become more secure, confident and capable of healing and transformation.

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SERVICES

Co-Parenting Counseling

All parents want to protect the wellbeing of their children through a divorce process and ensure a stable and successful future.  And while it may not be easy to continue a relationship with your ex-spouse, in the context of parenting your children, it is necessary. Chances are your ability to effectively communicate and cooperate during your marriage was challenging and so the expectation that your ability to do this during a divorce and after the fact may be unrealistic without the right supports in place.  Whether you need support to improve communication, or facilitate discussion and coparenting decisions, we are here to help.

Parents need support when they struggle to get along, share perspectives, communicate, problem solve, and generally get on the “same page” regarding their children.

This is where a co-parenting counselor comes in. Our role is to facilitate your ability to find common ground and to ultimately support the interests of your children, given the differences you may share with your ex-spouse or the challenges of effective communication. 

Sometimes parents cannot agree in spite of co-parenting counseling and that is when a Parenting Coordinator may be indicated. Parenting coordination is a court ordered, child-focused alternative dispute resolution process, in which a Parenting Coordinator assists parents in implementing their parenting plan and resolving disputes about parenting issues.  

Whatever your needs, we are here to help!

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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”
~ Martin Luther King

SERVICES

Collaborative Divorce

The Collaborative divorce process was born out of a desire and intention to help families reduce, and potentially avoid, the financial and emotional upheaval often experienced by people getting divorced using process options like litigation and mediation. Unlike litigation, and mediation, the attorneys are invested in helping the clients come to mutually agreeable settlements because they sign a “participation agreement,” which includes a disqualification clause that motivates them to succeed in resolving all the divorce related issues within the Collaborative Process.

Divorce is not only a legal process but it is a financial and emotional process as well. The Collaborative divorce process is a more comprehensive, multidisciplinary and supportive option available to guide your divorce in a way that is more respectful, caring, and considerate of these factors. It involves using two attorney’s (one for each spouse), a Neutral Facilitator (often a mental health professional) and may also include a Neutral Financial Professional.  The professionals in a Collaborative Process work as a team and each have specific roles to play that are discipline specific.

There are times where other professionals may be included in the process for their expert knowledge and skill set in addressing complex issues pertaining to a family’s needs. These can be child specialists, mental health therapists, business valuation specialists, real estate agents, mortgage brokers etc. The ultimate goal of the Collaboratively trained professional team is to support the spouses in achieving mutually acceptable resolutions and address all their needs in the divorce process.

The core elements of a Collaborative Divorce process include:

  • Negotiating a mutually acceptable resolution without having the courts decide issues.
  • Maintaining open communication and information sharing.
  • Creating shared solutions that acknowledge the highest priorities of all.

 

The benefits of this process are numerous including:

    • The interests of each client are the driving force and the focus in team meetings and the clients can make decisions based on what they believe is fair, irrespective what the law prescribes.
    • Enhanced efficiency of the process as a result of the neutral facilitator taking over many administrative and process functions allowing the other team professionals to focus on their specialty. 
    • No records are made public throughout the process except the final marital settlement agreement providing ultimate privacy for the spouses involved.
    • Enhanced potential for better co-parenting relationships once the divorce is final because of the communication and conflict resolution skills used in the process
    • Divorce process is not based on the timeline of the courthouse.

 

The Collaborative Divorce process was adopted into Florida legislation in 2016 as an approved and identified alternative dispute resolution option for spouses looking to dissolve their marriage.

If you are unsure how to navigate the divorce process and want to come in together or individually, I am here to help answer your questions about the process options available to you and the differences I have observed.

 

“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” - Charles Darwin

SERVICES

Collaborative Facilitator

As an  Accredited Collaborative Neutral Facilitator with a background in mental health, I bring a specific set of skills to the collaborative process that helps to manage conflict, improve communication, and facilitate the identification of differing perspectives and interests to be known, understood, and included in the decision making process of the spouses.  Within the framework of family disagreements the interests of the children become the priority.  

My role is to facilitate the communication of the process, of the professionals, of the team meetings, help maintain the structure and efficiency of the team meetings and support the clients in resolving conflict as they arise.

The benefits of having a neutral facilitator in the Collaborative process include:

  • Facilitating communication in a way that creates an environment of safety which enables better decision making and a potential for the spouses to communicate more effectively after the process is over.
  • The ability to identify, and manage conflict when it arises.
  • Ensuring a balanced process that prevents attorneys or spouses from taking over and therefore maintaining a sense of mutual respect.
  • Enhancing the efficiency of the divorce process by:
  • Developing agendas for every meeting.
  •  Helping the team to stay on time and on track within the team meetings and outside the meetings.
  •  Taking over tasks of communication and coordination, which allows the professionals to focus their time and efforts on their speciality.

 

If you have questions about the Collaborative process and want to know more about how this divorce process can help you navigate your divorce, call me!  I will be happy to explain this process further, and how I or other professionals can help you.

Couple meeting with therapist
SERVICES

Family Mediation

Are you concerned about the potential financial hardship that hiring an attorney may cause?

Do you need to create a plan for your children and how they will share time between you and your ex-spouse?

Are there divorce matters that you need to discuss with your spouse but you cannot find effective ways to do it?

I am here to help.

Family law matters are not void of emotional challenges and consequences. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, an Accredited Collaborative Facilitator, and Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, I bring a unique skill set to the mediation process. I am keenly focused on reading emotional cues and de-escalating conflict that can hinder communication and the resolution of client’s family matters.

Because of my experience and training I am able to facilitate effective solution-focused communication between clients in a group dynamic and am focused on assisting clients in finding mutually acceptable resolutions to their often conflicting interests.

For some people having a mediator is sufficient to resolve their marital/family disputes, while for others the value of utilizing allied professionals to provide relevant and expert information on the various issues that come up in a divorce process using a Collaborative approach enhances the efficiency and durability of their divorce process and may be more appropriate.

I am happy to offer or discuss the benefits of these options with you and to incorporate outside experts in your process along the way.

My approach is:

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SERVICES

Groups

Experience a safe and supportive environment to understand your feelings better, realize you are not alone in your experience of transition, find helpful strategies to manage and express your emotions, build resilience, and find more effective ways to manage your relationships (with parents, kids, co-parents, ex-spouses). We offer virtual support groups for the following:

  • Coffee Talk: Finding Your Happily Even After. A Virtual Divorce Support Group Women
  • Men Unite, A Thriving Men Virtual Divorce Support Group For Men
  • Family Is Forever: A Divorce Support Group For Kids


Register or schedule a phone consult today! 954-477-7455 

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SERVICES

SECOND SATURDAY BROWARD: A DIVORCE WORKSHOP

Often people remark at the END of our workshop, “I wish I came here sooner.”

Consider this workshop the most valuable investment you might make in your divorce process. As a co-presenter at a divorce workshop called, “Second Saturday Broward,” you will learn about all the legal, emotional and financial information you will need to know when considering or entering a divorce process.

Workshops take place on the second Saturday of every month.

Go to the website to register online to attend.

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"If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together." - African Proverb