Kitchen Table Divorce – How does it work?

With a little professional assistance from a lawyer/mediator and a lot of cooperation between spouses, it really is possible to have an uncontested and peaceful separation or divorce. One key to avoiding the many pitfalls in this arena is having a good divorce roadmap including a timeline of the process and action items.

The whole idea of a divorce is often so stressful and painful that it’s put off until there’s a crisis. Psychologists have found divorce to be the 2^nd most stress-inducing life event, only behind the death of a family member. It is always my hope and goal to make this difficult transition easiest it can be for families. As a child, I witnessed my own father going through 3 different divorces, and it’s now my passion to help other families avoid the pain of litigation.

Facing divorce and the unknown of the future can be terrifying. First: Breathe and relax, it really will be ok. Sometimes, having a vision of what the future will look like with the help of a mediator or collaborative team is all it takes to bring stress levels, fear, and anxiety down.

Next, once emotions are lowered and a plan is in place, information will be exchanged on finances such as income, assets, and debts. Whether you only need one meeting (no kids, no spousal support, no pensions), or three meetings with a full team of collaborative professionals, you will see progress and solutions at each step. The cost range for basic kitchen table mediation, where there is a high level of cooperation and no complications is $1,500 to $3,000 including all meetings and document drafting. We can also help with spacing out the payments with each meeting to make it more affordable.

In the event, more support or framework is needed, or if there is a need for advocacy and education about legal rights, the collaborative method may also be something to research. A process consults maybe be the best place to start to develop a roadmap and support network.