Keep Calm and Collaborate On
I recently had the MOST fun being a guest on Sidebar Social, a podcast hosted by Jennifer Grinke and Dana Stewart, two of the best family law attorneys I know in DFW. Check it out!
Below you’ll find an outline of everything we covered in the podcast:
🧠 Katie’s Background
Trained as a child and family therapist
Witnessed how traditional divorce harms kids
Transitioned to collaborative law in 2018
Now works almost exclusively in this field
🚪 Elevator Pitch: Explaining Collaborative Divorce
Traditional divorce: adversarial attorneys
Collaborative: team-based, whole-family focus
Includes attorneys, MHP, financial neutral
Aims for long-term, durable solutions
🧩 How Collaborative Meetings Work
Clients referred to MHP after attorneys are hired
MHP meets with each party individually first
First joint meeting: identify goals (e.g., stability, financial needs)
Team uses these goals to guide solutions
Collaborative decisions are intentional and not rushed
💬 Coaching & Communication Benefits
MHP helps with conflict resolution and emotional regulation
Attorneys trained in collaborative are essential
MHP supports communication and emotional needs of the family
❓FAQs Answered
1. How is this different from mediation?
Collaborative uses a full team (MHP, financial, legal)
Ongoing coaching between sessions
Multiple meetings with structured agendas
More support and skill-building for co-parenting
2. Is collaborative more expensive?
Not necessarily
Avoids court prep, discovery, and hearings
Reduces emotional cost
3. How long does it take?
Typically 6 months
4–7 meetings spaced 2–3 weeks apart
Work continues between meetings
4. What happens if someone opts out?
Entire process ends
Team disbands, and nothing carries over to court
This structure incentivizes transparency and resolution
🔮 The Future of Collaborative Law
Growing adoption across states
Needs more education for attorneys and judges
Misconceptions still exist (e.g., it’s "woo-woo")
Podcasts and public education are helping