Epona Law and Mediation
203 Meadowlark Professional Building Edmonton, AB, Canada

Divorce is a death and the stages of grief are not linear

Collaborative Practice. It begins with something you both can agree on: self-respect.

Stop underestimating yourself, you are more powerful than you think.

Divorce itself does not harm children, but high levels of conflict and distress in their environment can. It is critical to protect your children from being cau...ght between the two people they love most: you and your ex. In Collaborative Divorce, you and your ex may engage a neutral child specialist to help you minimize the adverse impact of divorce. Child Specialists can help parents determine what is truly important for their children, and how to address their children’s needs.

Because financial matters can be both complicated and emotional, you can enlist the services of a financial specialist as part of the Collaborative process. Thi...s financial expert serves as a neutral party who can level the playing field regarding financial knowledge and facilitate a successful division of property, including answers to contentious questions such as: How do we split one household into two? Will each of us have adequate resources to live separately? What do we do with our home, employment pensions, inherited funds, RRSPs, investments, family gifts and trusts, business interests, and household contents? How do we deal with our debts? How do we separate our assets and debts in a way that minimizes tax consequences? The financial specialist can put various scenarios into perspective for you, so you understand the short- and long-term implications of your decisions. As a result, you can arrive at reasonable and practical solutions to your division of assets.

Collaborative Divorce Case Study Summaries: Demonstrating flexible solutions allowing you to control your future. Years after a rough legal battle, the divorce...d couple decided to modify their originally litigated divorce settlement. CP allowed them to do this so amicably that the ex husband offered to help his former wife out of a financial rough spot. See more

A collaborative divorce is better for your children by keeping your children’s needs first. Children are often caught between divorcing parents. To protect chil...dren from this tug of war, Collaborative Divorce places their interests foremost and makes their needs a matter of mutual agreement. Collaborative Divorce also helps you develop a workable parenting plan to determine sharing arrangements and consider your children’s needs as they mature. See more

A collaborative divorce is better for your children by keeping your childrens needs first. Children are often caught between divorcing parents. To protect chil...dren from this tug of war, Collaborative Divorce places their interests foremost and makes their needs a matter of mutual agreement. Collaborative Divorce also helps you develop a workable parenting plan to determine sharing arrangements and consider your childrens needs as they mature. See more

New case law on Diputes regarding Covid 19 with a focus on what is best for the child.

Others will try to tell you what you should be doing and where you should be with your life. But this is your journey, and there's no wrong season to be in.

What if I don’t get along with my spouse? Strong feelings about the relationship and dysfunctional communication are normal post-separation. Those big emotions ...don’t change the fact that each of you has a common goal of resolving the issues without a costly, destructive court battle. Collaborative Process helps you stay focused and communicating effectively so you and your partner can work successfully to resolve your outstanding issues. The guiding principles of Collaborative Process are respect, dignity, openness and fairness. This respectful tone encourages you to show compassion, understanding, and cooperation. Collaborative professionals are trained in non-confrontational negotiation, helping keep discussions productive. The goal of Collaborative Process is to build a settlement on areas of agreement, not to perpetuate disagreement.

What if I dont get along with my spouse? Strong feelings about the relationship and dysfunctional communication are normal post-separation. Those big emotions ...dont change the fact that each of you has a common goal of resolving the issues without a costly, destructive court battle. Collaborative Process helps you stay focused and communicating effectively so you and your partner can work successfully to resolve your outstanding issues. The guiding principles of Collaborative Process are respect, dignity, openness and fairness. This respectful tone encourages you to show compassion, understanding, and cooperation. Collaborative professionals are trained in non-confrontational negotiation, helping keep discussions productive. The goal of Collaborative Process is to build a settlement on areas of agreement, not to perpetuate disagreement.

A wife initiated a divorce feeling ignored and misunderstood by the family for years. The collaborative practice team helped establish a less hostile environmen...t to proceed with the divorce. Then they facilitated communication between the couple. In the end, the couple decided to stay together, working out their issues through counseling. Each story looks different.

Collaborative Divorce Case Study Summaries Demonstrating flexible solutions allowing you to control your future. A husband and wife had two children, one a spe...cial needs child. During the divorce, this childs long term care requirements caused tremendous financial conflict between the parents. Collaborative practice kept them focused on the discussion until they reached an agreement. The parents also agreed to work together after the divorce, assuring both children receive the care and support they needed. See more

I work with many gifted mental health professionals in my practice and I’ve been hearing similar stories from them. Our kids and teens are struggling with the pandemic, with the loss of their structure of going to school and with the loss of the social interaction with their peers and their families. The increased financial strain on parents is also impacting children. Their young brains are overloaded and having difficulty processing all of this.

I work with many gifted mental health professionals in my practice and Ive been hearing similar stories from them. Our kids and teens are struggling with the pandemic, with the loss of their structure of going to school and with the loss of the social interaction with their peers and their families. The increased financial strain on parents is also impacting children. Their young brains are overloaded and having difficulty processing all of this.

Marriages can end but families cannot. Heres why its beneficial to add a Family Specialist to your Collaborative team.

Collaborative Divorce is effective because it is a process customized for you rather than a court-driven process to which you must conform. With face-to-face ne...gotiation at its heart, Collaborative Divorce empowers you, your partner, and your lawyers to create an agreement that addresses your unique situation and needs. Your Collaborative lawyers establish the respectful and safe environment in which you can achieve sensible and long-lasting agreements. See more

Too often, we have seen the emotional and financial damage resulting from the imposition of a legal system on a broken family dynamic. Collaborative Divorce is ...a way to work towards a divorce settlement in a logical, pragmatic fashion, where your lawyers, financial and mental health professionals are committed to finding solutions - not increasing hostilities. See more

Collaborative Divorce Alberta Association helps clients: -Focus on the needs of the individual and their children -Maintain control over decisions that will have a lifelong impact -Seek to preserve family relationships, finances and assets

In the Collaborative process, you and your lawyers utilize interest-based negotiation. This approach to dispute resolution focuses on the underlying needs, wants, values and objectives you both bring. Here's how it works:

Marriages can end but families cannot. Here's why it's beneficial to add a Family Specialist to your Collaborative team.

A few things you have control over: Your mindset How you treat others Your wellness (eating, sleep, exercise, meditation, etc.) Your language... What are some other things you can control in your life?

https://www.eponalaw.com//arbitration-or-collaboration-dur

This in an excellent resource. The Association of Family Professionals (Edmonton) are here to assist families during these unprecedented times.

Legal services have been classified as "essential services" during the Covid-19 pandemic. The services that Collaborative Family Law Lawyers can offer are a public service. We are here to assist families in whatever way possible, particularly during the closure of the Courts. Collaborative process helps families work out their problems in a peaceful, mindful and meaningful way.

Great article for parents with autistic children

https://www.eponalaw.com//guidelines-for-shared-parenting-

https://www.eponalaw.com//2020/4/1/resolution-during-a-pan

With the Courts having closed now for two weeks we all need to look for creative options for resolving family law issues. Mediation and Collaboration always have been an option and particularly now in these times. My office is set up for remote meetings using Zoom so no in person attendance is required. Familys still need parenting plans. Child support still needs to be paid, however may be fluctuating due to reduced work hours or lay offs. I have always offered my services on a sliding scale and will continue to do so. Please email me for more information on how I may assist you during these uncertain times. Stay healthy!

https://www.eponalaw.com/blog/2019/5/7/the-mediation-process

https://www.eponalaw.com//12/not-until-you-put-a-ring-on-it

Lead by Example The collaborative process begins with asking the parents what goals they have. For themselves. For each other. And for their children. One of my former clients shared her goal of setting an example for her children and her community that she was able to work through the separation and divorce in a respectful and dignified process. It was important for both the parents that their children witness them working together through difficult issues rather than seeing them as adversaries.

https://www.eponalaw.com//16/co-parenting-during-the-holid

https://www.eponalaw.com//the-family-specialists-role-in-s

Great article as our children head back to school! Based on attachment theory.

Below is a link to a podcast that was recorded live yesterday on the topic of ending a relationship with respect and dignity and minimizing emotional wounding. https://www.voiceamerica.com//what-is-collaborative-law-an