Co-Parenting during separation/divorce

May 24, 2010 | 0 comments

I am frequently asked parenting questions or listen to expressions of frustration from my clients on the difficulties that arise for them in co-parenting during and after a separation or divorce.  I am not a child expert but I have picked up a few things here and...

The place of grandparents in family breakups.

Apr 23, 2010 | 0 comments

When parents are locked in dispute and/or separating the support of extended family can provide enormous comfort to the children and support for the parents.  Grandparents, in particular, can be a great resource in this situation especially for children who are close...

Is Collaborative Law just a Legal Process?

Apr 7, 2010 | 0 comments

The statement that Collaborative Law is just a legal process is generally made to silence those lawyers who seem to many of us to be straying further and further away into “therapy” or as one colleague put it “tree hugging for lawyers”.   To be in the forefront of a...

Detox.

Feb 22, 2010 | 0 comments

Detox is the new buzz word.   We are bombarded with invitations from health spas to come and detox and with books and products to assist us to detoxify.  As well as our bodies, however, maybe we should think about detoxifying our minds?  Can the way we use language...

OLD STORIES WITH NEW TWISTS.

Feb 4, 2010 | 0 comments

This article was published   in Evening Echo on 20th January 2010 Frequently, people ask why are marriages breaking down in such numbers today?  It is often implicit in the tone of the person asking the question that there is something “wanting” in people living now,...

Helping Hand

Jan 13, 2010 | 0 comments

It is very tempting in the throes of hurt and grief to give into the temptation to behave badly.  However, as good parents, which we all aspire to be, we know in our calm rational higher functioning selves that angry scenes,  vengeful actions and so forth will cause...

Life Changes ..

Jan 7, 2010 | 0 comments

When confronted with life’s traumas, bereavement, redundancy, loss of a significant relationship, divorce, disability or injury, enforced relocation, to name but a few, we inevitably travel through what is called the bereavement curve.  The Bereavement Curve was...

Domestic Violence

Dec 17, 2009 | 0 comments

In the 90s I had the privilege of sitting on a committee appointed by the then Minister for Justice, Norah Owens to review legislation on domestic violence, co-ordinate research in the area and make recommendations.  Our recommendations grounded the Domestic Violence...

What is Mediation?

Dec 14, 2009 | 0 comments

What is Mediation? Mediation is a process to enable you to resolve a conflict or dispute without having to go to court.  It is often referred to as an alternative dispute resolution process because it is an alternative to the court.  The mediator who works with you in...

Relationship Breakdown and Children

Dec 14, 2009 | 0 comments

How children will cope with their parent’s relationship breaking down is predicated to a very large extent on how the conflict is handled by the parents.  A destructive conflict which continues for a number of years will have highly detrimental long term effects on...

Making a Will

Dec 14, 2009 | 0 comments

Everyone who can, should make a will for the sake of their families. Not to do so can be extremely irresponsible and cause unnecessary hardship to those left behind. It is important not to wait until you are sick or dying to make a will. This is because a will needs...

The Role of the Child Specialist in Collaboration

Nov 23, 2009 | 0 comments

Recent research carried out in England would indicate that children’s suffering is not proportionate to the degree of conflict in a relationship but rather to the way the conflict is managed.  If the conflict is handled well then children will so well especially in...

Civil Partnership Part II

Nov 11, 2009 | 0 comments

The definition of co- habitees does not include couples who live together and are relatives.  Co-habitees are couples of same or opposite sex who are in an intimate and committed relationship who are not related within a probited degree of relationship and who are not...

Civil Partnership Part I

Nov 11, 2009 | 0 comments

It still comes as a surprise to many people when consulting a solicitor about relationship breakdown that at present unless they are married, the rights of such a couple are extremely limited.   This is about to change.  Our current government has committed to...