By the time a couple reaches my office door, they have often made the covert decision to divorce. “If this continues, we are through!” “I’ve had enough!” “I don’t know whether to stay or go?” They ask, “How bad is bad enough to leave?” What…

Establishing ground rules in the beginning of your relationship is the best way to ensure that you will stick to them when conflicts do come up. Discuss these ahead of time so that your rules can be clear and support the kind of partnership you…

When couples argue, they often forget the most important part of the disagreement…the successful make-up process. It means coming back to the table to discuss what went wrong in the first place and how to resolve it. Couples should never avoid coming back to discuss…

Fair fighting is an important part of healthy conflict resolution. All conflicts require Rules of Engagement. It helps us remember that we are vulnerable to emotions and we can get out of our healthy place every now and then, but it is necessary for us…

As a marriage and divorce mediator, I find that the holidays are the most difficult issue for every couple to address while putting their desires into their new agreement. What looks good and equitable on paper doesn’t always feel the same in real life. They…

It’s 6:00 AM. As I reach for the coffee pot to begin my morning routine, I am aware that there is still left over coffee clinging to the side of the pot from yesterday. I pause for a moment, reminded of a time when I…