When most people think of divorce mediation, they assume there is one mediator who moves back and forth between a divorcing couple, trying to get both parties to compromise. While “shuttle” mediation is a real technique, we have found that it grants most of the power to the mediator himself or herself, and not to [...]
Almost every divorce has some level of conflict, which is perfectly normal and healthy. In divorce mediation, you and your spouse find creative and unique ways to address those conflicts in a supportive environment, and develop plans and strategies that will allow you to reach a resolution. In our practice, we often solicit the [...]
When it has become clear that your love story has ended, getting a divorce is never easy. When you are contemplating a high-asset divorce, things can get complicated and you can spend a lot more money that you thought you might while trying to dissolve the marriage. If you are a resident of Fairfax County, [...]
The issue of spousal support – whether it should be paid, how much should be paid and for how long – is the source of a considerable amount of conflict in divorce. A couple may come to an agreement on their own about alimony, or if they are unable to come to an agreement, the [...]
When you decide that it is time to end your marriage, if you have children, it is going to have a significant impact on their lives and their development. When parents separate and establish new households and then move on to new partners, it can be challenging for your children to process all the changes [...]
Regardless of the level of conflict in your divorce, when the marriage ends, parents must find a new way of relating to each other. Couples who choose mediation as the venue for dissolving their marriage gain the advantage of learning about the importance of healthy communication. They also gain valuable skills about how to resolve [...]
People often assume that divorce mediation is only effective when both parties are in complete agreement (or close to complete agreement) about how they wish to proceed. Just because the two of you are not getting along, however, does not preclude the option of mediation. In fact, if you and your spouse are struggling to [...]
The myth of the contentious, high-conflict divorce with equally high attorney fees is the stuff of cultural legend in the U.S. Divorce does not have to dissolve into a dog-eat-dog brawl. Divorce mediation is an alternative dispute resolution model, which uses neutral third party(s) to facilitate an agreement between the spouses. In the same way [...]
Going through a divorce is a challenge, even under the most amicable circumstances. People often worry about their lives after the divorce so much, that they have a difficult time getting through the paperwork and steps involves in the process itself. That documentation, however, is important – especially when it comes to your finances. While [...]
Later in life divorces have been an upward trend for close to a decade even as divorce among younger age groups has flattened out. Called the "Gray Divorce Revolution," a research study of the same name examined the divorce rates of Americans over age 50, and it identified the, "sociodemographic correlates," of divorce for older [...]
