Collaborative Divorce, Peacemaking in a time of Transition
Joyce Tessier, LMFT
Summary:
As MFTs, we are first, relationship healers. However, often those healing efforts require the wisdom to know and accept that some relationships may not be capable of continued “survival.” If this is the case then healing must include a strategy for allowing the members of the relationship, be they spouses/ significant others, and/or children, to “come apart,” in a way that does not further erode individual integrities and wholeness, and stunt their psychic, spiritual, and economic resources for making a better future for themselves. Such “coming apart” is influenced by many cultural dimensions including, most notably, “the law” and our legal system. Unfortunately, that system is heavily “adversarial” adding stress and a sense of being very much out of control of one’s future.
It was easy to say “I do” and have all kinds of legal structures and strictures silently fall into place. These continued to almost imperceptibly accrue as jobs changed, possessions increased, and parenting responsibilities arose. Now, the couple seeking to disentangle from the “I do” may feel overwhelmed when faced with the adversarial nature the legal aspects of “coming apart.” To decrease the trauma of this change, there are resources available under the umbrella title “Collaborative Divorce.” We MFTs have the opportunity to learn of these in this meeting.
Objectives:
1. Gain an overview of Alternatives to Divorce Resolution (ADR)
2. Gain an understanding of Collaborative Divorce as a one of ADR approaches
3. Gain an understanding of the roles of the persons who are part of the Collaborative Divorce Process
4. Gain knowledge of the benefits of Collaborative Divorce to a divorcing couple and the family as an alternative to litigation.
Bio:
Joyce Tessier, LMFT, Collaborative Divorce Coach, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Upland since 1990. Her focus is counseling couples who want to make their relationship better through improved communication and understanding, whether they make up or break up. She earned an undergraduate degree in Behavioral Science from Cal Poly Pomona and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Cal State Fullerton. She has certificates in Alcohol/Drug Treatment and Paralegal Studies from the University of La Verne. Her unique training and experience includes extensive Marital Therapy and Collaborative Divorce coaching as well as law office writings on adoption, child custody, divorce and conciliation. As a collaborative divorce-trained coach and mediator, she is committed to helping families find a peaceful way to end their marriage without going to court. She is a founding board member of the Collaborative Divorce Professionals of the Inland Empire (CDPIE), a group of attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial specialists who work together in teams to help families through divorce. Their goal is to make the events of divorce as dignified and respectful as possible. The website is www.CDPIE.com. She can be reached at joycetessier@yahoo.com. Her website is www.joycetessier.com
