Divorce affects the lives of the grown-ups and children alike. A peaceful divorce is often hard due to the different personalities of the parties involved. One of the spouses may have anger issues, mental or personality disorders, mood swings or simply has had an affair resulting in a deep wound for the marriage. Couples at first are hesitant in finding help. It may not be until they are sitting in their divorce attorney’s office that the question is raised, “Have you tried marital counseling?” If the couple has not, most divorce attorneys do suggest seeing someone before they contemplate a divorce. If the answer is yes, oftentimes there is no hope in saving the marriage, but there’s also hope in having a “Peaceful Divorce.” The Collaborative Divorce Process is an excellent non-litigious approach to divorcing. I’ve been involved in several cases and the process is miraculous. It involves a team approach of collaboratively trained professionals which includes 2 lawyers, a neutral mental health professional and a neutral financial professional. Everyone involved in the process has one goal in mind: To get the divorce done as soon as possible in a non-litigious way. When there are children involved, I help create a parenting plan that specifies a detailed time-sharing. So is a peaceful divorce possible? Yes, as long as the couple is able to put aside their anger and let a team of professionals help.
Lisette Beraja is a Psychotherapist, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist & Founder of Beraja Counseling Center. She’s also a Florida Supreme Court Family Mediator and an 11th Judicial Court approved Parenting Coordinator. To set up an appointment, call 305.858.7763 or visit BerajaCounseling.com.
Uplifting Reads
Who couldn’t use a little more happiness in their life? It doesn’t have to begin and end with a Häagen-Dazs binge. These 3 books spill some of their author’s secrets to a better, more satisfying life.
Home Front
Gretchen Rubin is known for her previous best-seller, The Happiness Project, where she explores what it is that actually makes us happy. In Happier at Home, she puts that knowledge to work, creating a calmer, more energized positive space for herself and her family; $17.
Financial Wisdom
You Can Buy Happiness by Tammy Strobel certainly has an eye-catching title, but the author isn’t telling us all to buy lottery tickets. Strobel’s secret is downsizing — bringing our way of living to a manageable level, and seeking out sustainable ways to get conscious and connected; $10.
Secret Recipe
Looking for a way to make change and get ahead? The secret might lie in giving yourself a break. In The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor draws on research on happiness and success to show how positive thinking actually gives us a competitive edge; $17.
