Healthy Divorce Blog

Articles and Information Designed to Make Divorce a Little Easier

[guthrielaw]

What Happens When the House is Only in One Name in Divorce?

One of the most searched questions in divorce answered in today's video!

#divorce #mediation #soleproperty #maritalproperty #maritalresidence #whogetsthehouse #susanguthrie #divorceinabetterway #breakingfreemediation

[guthrielaw]

New video out today - answer this question and you can bring your divorce to an end!

[guthrielaw]

So pleased about the positive feedback we received to our panel discussion at the SCMA Family Mediation Institute in Orange County California last weekend. My co-panelists, @KathleenCoble of #BookMediation, @ShannonVajda of #MediationPracticeinaBox and I spoke to Family Mediators about incorporating innovations in the practice into their business model to be more efficient and accessible in order to be more profitable! I was happy to share practical tips and best practices for incorporating online mediation services into an existing practice in streamlined and cost-effective manner. To learn more about online mediation and my trainings please visit my website at www.learntomediateonline.com.

[guthrielaw]

A top divorce attorney summarizes her many years of experience and expertise in divorce law into a comprehensive learning system for people going through divorce.

I do not ordinarily endorse products but this program provides such an excellent learning opportunity for divorce clients that I am making an exception.  Rebecca Zung, an extraordinarily accomplished family law litigator for over 25 years, has distilled her many years of experience and knowledge about divorce into an easily digestible education program to teach people about the many facets of a divorce case.  Keeping in mind that knowledge is power, anyone contemplating divorce or already going through the process, can benefit greatly from the content in Rebecca’s learning modules.  She covers all divorce topics including:

Before Divorce, Basic Overview of a Divorce Case, Property Division and Spousal Support, Negotiation Techniques, Parenting Plans and Child Support

This program does not take the place of a divorce attorney or family law mediator but saves immeasurable time and money by educating the client about the process and the practical considerations of divorce.  

To paraphrase Rebecca, the client receives all the knowledge of a top divorce attorney without the $500 per hour price tag!

[guthrielaw]

There are common misconceptions that keep some people from resolving their divorce issues – such as alimony, property settlement, and child custody – through divorce mediation.

Please take a moment to read my latest article in Divorce Magazine.  Don’t let these three common misconceptions about the divorce mediation process keep you from enjoying the many benefits and advantages of mediation!

[guthrielaw]

[guthrielaw]

Attorney Guthrie and La Jolla Mediation Services were recently featured in an article in my business magazine. The article highlights the many benefits of Mediation for divorce and family law matters and in particular how La Jolla Mediation Services can help people to find a better way to divorce.

[guthrielaw]

Top 5 Professionals to Hire for Your Holistic “Healthy Divorce” Team

These days, as people move away from the overly contentious traditional litigation approach to divorce which is based upon an adversarial, win-lose model, more and more people are approaching divorce in a holistic or "team approach" manner in order to achieve a cooperative and more positive result. These are five professionals that will work together to achieve that holistic result allowing the parties to ultimately determine their own fate and arrive at an agreement that works best for them both and for their family. In a healthy divorce the ultimate goal is a win-win for everyone.

1.  Divorce Mediator

A divorce mediator acts as a neutral and assists the parties in determining what issues they need to address in their divorce, such as parenting, support and asset division, and then helps the parties to determine how to resolve these issues in a manner that best suits both their needs and the needs of their family. The parties themselves make all of the decisions with suggestions and guidance from their mediator. The cooperative nature of this process reduces costs, time and emotional upset during this trying time.

2.  Mental Health Professional

There are many ways that a mental health professional can be helpful to the parties as they go through the divorce process. First, as divorce is an extremely stressful and emotional process, an individual therapist can help the people themselves deal with the fear, anger and hurt that often   accompanies the end of a marriage. In addition, for parties who are having difficulty communicating regarding their children, there are therapists who specialize in co-parent counseling who can assist the parents in establishing a new relationship and manner of working together in their children's best interests. Finally, a therapist for the children can be very helpful in providing a safe haven for the children to work through their emotions regarding the establishment of two new households and their parent's divorce. For complicated parenting issues, a therapist can also be very helpful in an advisory capacity in helping craft a parenting plan that best addresses the children's emotional and developmental needs.

3.  Consulting and/or Review Counsel

For parties going through the divorce mediation process, it is often very helpful to have an attorney on call to act as a legal advisor during the process and to review any documents, such as the separation agreement, that are drafted in the process. The attorney is available to the client to give legal advice specific to the individual's situation. Most mediator's will have suggestions for consulting or review counsel who work well in the mediation process.

4.  Financial Advisor

Divorce often involves complicated questions regarding finances and taxes and will usually require a review of each person's financial needs and budget going forward. Additionally, there are significant tax consequences in the division of assets and liabilities that should be factored into the settlement. For more complicated high income or assets cases or for cases where one or both parties needs additional assistance with budgeting or managing their finances post-divorce, a Certified Divorce Financial Planner or Advisor can be a great help. Depending on the situation, the CDFP or CDFA can be brought in to the process to assist in making the most responsible and effective financial settlement for the parties.

5.  Divorce Coach

Often in a divorce, one or both of the parties can be overwhelmed by the difficulties of the process at a time when they are emotionally adrift. A divorce coach can help support the person with assistance in many ways from helping with the paperwork and document gathering necessitated by the divorce to suggesting and implementing new approaches to daily living in the new "normal".