Collaborative divorce is a process where both spouses work with a team of professionals — including lawyers, a divorce coach, financial experts, and child specialists — to reach agreements without going to court. Unlike traditional litigation, where a judge makes decisions for your family, collaborative divorce puts you in control. All decisions are made by you and your spouse, with support from your team. The goal is a win/win outcome that minimizes conflict and protects everyone involved, especially children.

I offer an introductory consultation at a discounted rate of $100 for a full hour — a $250 value. This dedicated time ensures you get meaningful, focused support from the start: expert guidance, thoughtful answers to all your questions, and a real sense of whether collaborative divorce coaching is the right fit for your family. It's an investment in clarity — and in the next chapter of your life.

A divorce coach is a family systems expert who serves as a neutral support person throughout the collaborative process. Your coach helps you identify your needs and priorities, manage the emotions that come with divorce, communicate more effectively with your spouse, and make sound decisions for your family. They work alongside your attorney — while your lawyer handles legal strategy, your coach focuses on helping you navigate the emotional and practical challenges of separation.

A collaborative divorce team typically includes: attorneys for each spouse who provide legal guidance; a divorce coach (mental health professional) who supports communication and emotional well-being; a child specialist who ensures children's needs are represented; and a financial expert who helps analyze assets and long-term financial planning. The team is assembled based on the family's specific needs. All professionals share information openly and work toward a unified resolution.

Protecting children from conflict is a core principle of collaborative divorce. Your divorce coach can help you and your co-parent learn how to talk to your children about divorce, understand how children experience family transitions, and build transitions and routines that minimize stress. Research consistently shows that it's not divorce itself, but the level of conflict children witness, that has the greatest impact on their long-term well-being.

A parenting plan is a detailed agreement that outlines how you and your co-parent will raise your children after separation — covering schedules, decision-making, holidays, communication, and more. A divorce coach acts as your facilitator and guide to create a plan that is child-centered, developmentally appropriate, and realistic for your family's life. Unlike a standard attorney-drafted plan, a coach-assisted plan considers the nuances of your specific family. Once your plan is complete, it can be forwarded to your attorney for filing.

Yes. All parties — clients and professionals — agree at the outset that communications made during the collaborative process remain confidential and cannot be used as evidence if the case later moves to litigation. This creates a safe space for honest, open dialogue and problem-solving. If the collaborative process does not result in a full settlement, the collaborative attorneys must withdraw, and new attorneys are needed for litigation. This structure gives everyone a strong incentive to work toward agreement.

One of the most valuable roles a divorce coach plays is improving communication between separating spouses — particularly when emotions run high. Your coach can help you shift from reactive to thoughtful communication, identify underlying interests behind positions, and develop the skills needed to co-parent effectively long after the divorce is finalized. The goal is not just to get through the divorce, but to set up a functional co-parenting relationship that benefits your children for years to come.

Yes. LGBTQ+ families have unique needs shaped by the legal, social, and emotional complexities that queer individuals and couples continue to navigate. Coaching is available for parents, spouses, children and co-parents who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community in a space that affirms and understands your experience. Your family's story is unique, and your support should be too.

Collaborative divorce works best when both spouses are willing to participate in good faith, communicate honestly, and commit to reaching a negotiated settlement. It's especially well-suited for couples with children, significant shared assets, or a desire to preserve a working relationship after divorce. It may not be appropriate in situations involving domestic violence, severe power imbalances, or when one party is unwilling to engage in the process. A consultation with a collaborative coach or attorney can help determine whether it's the right fit for your situation.

Collaborative divorce is not guaranteed to cost less — it is still a significant investment, and costs vary depending on the complexity of your situation and the professionals involved. What's different is that you and your partner are in control of the cost. You set the pace, you make the decisions, and you avoid the unpredictable expense of court-driven timelines and adversarial legal battles.

But the real question isn't just what you spend — it's what you get. Collaborative divorce tends to produce more durable agreements, meaning you're far less likely to return to court down the road. That alone can represent significant long-term savings. It also includes co-parenting coaching and family support that litigation simply doesn't offer. When you factor in the quality of the outcome — a workable agreement, a functional co-parenting relationship, and a family supported through the transition — the value of collaborative divorce extends well beyond the price tag.

I offer collaborative divorce coaching both in-person and virtually, serving clients throughout King County. Virtual sessions make it easy to access support from the comfort of your home. I offer in-person appointments at my office located in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, WA. Whether you prefer to meet in person or online, the quality of support remains the same.

This is one of the most common concerns people have — and it's a fair one. You can't force your spouse to choose collaborative divorce, but you can plant the seed thoughtfully. Often, sharing information about what the process looks like, what it costs, and what it protects — especially for your children — opens the door. Many spouses who are initially resistant come around when they understand they will have their own attorney and full voice in the process. A consultation with a collaborative coach or attorney can help you think through how to have that conversation and whether collaborative divorce is a realistic option for your situation.

Yes — a divorce coach and an attorney serve very different roles, and both are important. Your attorney provides legal counsel, protects your rights, and ensures any agreements comply with the law. Your divorce coach helps you communicate effectively, and guides you through the practical and relational challenges of separation. Think of it this way: your attorney handles the legal process, while your coach helps you show up to that process prepared, grounded, and clear on what matters most to you and your family.

Maintaining stability in your children's daily life is a priority throughout the collaborative process. One of the first things your team will work on is establishing interim arrangements — temporary schedules and routines that keep your children's lives as consistent as possible while the larger agreement is being crafted. As your coach, I help you and your co-parent think through transitions, communication, and day-to-day logistics so your children feel secure even as your family structure changes. The goal is to minimize disruption and give your children a stable foundation from day one.

There is no single answer — timelines vary widely depending on the complexity of your situation, how many issues need to be resolved, and how prepared both parties are to engage in the process. Some families reach a full agreement in a few months; others take longer, particularly when finances, property, or parenting arrangements require more careful planning. What collaborative divorce does offer is flexibility — you set the pace, not the court. Unlike litigation, you are not at the mercy of crowded court dockets or procedural delays.

Both collaborative divorce and mediation are alternatives to litigation, but they work differently. Mediation involves a neutral third party who helps both spouses negotiate — attorneys play a limited role, and you may not have professional support beyond the mediator. Collaborative divorce is more comprehensive: each spouse has their own attorney, and the full team — coach, child specialist, financial expert — works together to address the legal, emotional, and practical dimensions of your separation. Collaborative divorce tends to be more thorough and better suited for families with children or complex finances, while mediation can work well for simpler situations.