In many instances, the reluctance of a spouse to consider Collaborative Divorce is based on his/her unfamiliarity with the process and its potential benefits. Encourage your spouse to learn as much as possible about all available options for divorce.
The Collaborative Divorce process requires the voluntary commitment of both spouses. Talk with your spouse about the benefits of Collaborative Divorce listed above and the nature of the process, as distinguished from litigation and mediation. Ask whether he/she values those benefits and finds Collaborative Divorce to be the best option. If you have children, ask your spouse whether he/she has concerns about the effect of a divorce on them? Ask your spouse to consider the financial, emotional, and relational cost of an adversarial divorce. Suggest that your spouse visit this website, investigate the resources listed here, and contact one of the professionals listed in our directory. Ask your spouse to view the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals’ (IACP) website at www.collaborativepractice.org. In particular, check out the Collaborative Information Kit at http://www.collaborativepractice.com/kit/CP-KnowledgeKit.pdf. Divorce is one of those difficult but important life passages that is best approached with as much knowledge as possible.