Although Texas has one of the lowest divorce rates in the country, the end of a marriage through a legal separation is not an uncommon phenomenon. The recent separation between Hollywood actor Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin, a musician, claimed the top spot in newspapers and magazines all over the world. Paltrow has termed her divorce as a “conscious uncoupling.”
Psychologists believe that the phrase “conscious uncoupling,” recently popularized by the media, essentially means parting with grace. Although the term is relatively new, the idea of separating with civility and planning is not. Divorce through mediation and collaborative law has existed for a while now. This method of separation is definitely a kinder approach to the process. Collaborative divorce groups are organizations that facilitate collaborative separation through amicable means. The organization involves attorneys, financial advisors and psychologists to help couples seek a cleaner process of separation.
The traditional method of divorce involves an adversarial approach where each party appoints an attorney. The attorney presents his client’s case before the courts of law where the decision entirely lies in the hands of the presiding judge. This method is essentially unkind, involves massive expenditure and stress, which often proves to be traumatic, especially if children are involved.
The practice of divorce through collaborative law might reduce the time and cost involved in the process. Emotional conflict is bound to exist in any divorce proceeding, but conscious uncoupling reduces the time spent dealing with such conflict. This keeps parents from being distracted so they can focus on important financial agreements for their children.
The collaborative process of divorce, or conscious uncoupling, helps couples plan for a better future. A parenting agreement was drawn up in such a process, for example can enable better outcomes for all. This non-adversarial process is a sharp contrast to the traditional method, and it helps people separate with dignity and integrity, along with fair settlements. An experienced Dallas divorce attorney may be able to help a couple end their marriage on amicable terms with positive results for all parties involved.
