The Family Professional acts as an integral member of the Collaborative team. As a neutral professional, she assists the separating couple in many ways:
- facilitation of team meetings between clients and lawyers
- meeting with both parties individually in advance of the team meeting(s), to understand the unique needs and concerns of each person
- facilitating conference calls with the lawyers in advance of team meetings to review the agenda and identify potential challenges in the joint meetings
- assists in helping manage the emotions in the room so that both parties can make good decisions regarding their agreement
- assists clients in the creation of a Parenting Plan
- may provide parenting advice regarding the impact of separation on children, how to tell the children about the separation, and effective co-parenting tools
- may help understand and communicate to the parents the wishes and preferences of the children by meeting with them when appropriate
Member of the Collaborative Practice Hamilton Halton