Collaborative Divorce
An out-of-court path through divorce for families in New York City, Connecticut, and Florida, guided by a team of legal, financial, and mental health professionals.
Contact Dr. Heller
"The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war."Ralph Waldo Emerson
Divorce is a legal, financial, psychological, and emotional process — but it doesn't have to be a battle. If you or your spouse are considering divorce, Collaborative Divorce may be worth exploring as an alternative to a traditional courtroom fight.
Is Collaborative Divorce Right for You?
- You or your spouse are contemplating divorce.
- You're concerned about how divorce will affect your children.
- You're worried about the cost of maintaining two households and dividing your assets and liabilities.
- You're wondering what process will be right, fair, and financially accessible.
- You're not sure how you'll move forward and begin again.
What Collaborative Divorce Is
Collaborative Divorce is an out-of-court legal process in which you and your spouse work with a team of specially trained legal, financial, and mental health professionals. In a structured, respectful environment, this team helps you find fair ways to divide your marital estate, build the skills to live independently of one another, and continue sharing your children and family relationships — all while keeping the process as amicable as possible.
Your Collaborative Divorce Team
Your team is built around your family's specific needs. It typically includes:
You and Your Spouse
Each represented by your own Collaborative Attorney.
Neutral Financial Professional
Helps you divide assets and plan for your financial future.
Mental Health Professional
Facilitates the process and helps guide the team toward resolving marital issues efficiently and cost-effectively.
Child Specialist
If needed, helps the team hear and understand your children's voice.
Guiding the Process With Care
As the Mental Health Professional on a Collaborative Divorce team, Dr. Heller promotes respectful communication, goal setting, problem-solving, and co-parenting. She draws on each team member's — along with the clients' — knowledge and experience to help the family creatively develop a plan for dissolving the marriage and restructuring the family, while addressing the needs of everyone involved.
The Mental Health Professional's Role, Explained
The Mental Health Professional (MHP) plays several roles on a Collaborative Divorce team:
For Attorneys
The MHP helps identify emotional and psychological roadblocks to settlement and suggests a framework for moving negotiations forward. The MHP also works to ensure that the process is efficient and cost-effective, and addresses the needs and interests of the entire family.
As a Child Specialist
The MHP brings the voice of the children into the process, meeting with them and sharing their experience with the parents, without providing therapy to the children directly.
For Clients
The MHP doesn't diagnose or treat within this process, but helps identify and work through the emotional and psychological challenges that can get in the way of resolution. When necessary, the MHP will provide recommendations for referral sources to other professionals that will help the clients move forward in the best way possible.
Research, Presentations & Publications
Dr. Heller researched and published her doctoral dissertation on Competency and the Role of the Mental Health Counselor in Collaborative Family Law, and has presented on this topic statewide, nationally, and internationally, in addition to publishing book chapters and articles on the subject.
Common Questions About Collaborative Divorce
Is Collaborative Divorce right for every couple?
Collaborative Divorce works well for couples who are willing to negotiate respectfully and stay out of court, but it isn't the right fit for every situation. A conversation with Dr. Heller and your legal team can help you decide if it makes sense for your family.
What's the difference between Collaborative Divorce and mediation?
In Collaborative Divorce, each spouse has their own attorney as part of a larger team that also includes financial and mental health professionals. In mediation, most often, a single neutral professional helps both spouses reach agreements together. Dr. Heller does work as a co-mediator as well, and can help you understand which process may fit your situation.
Learn Whether Collaborative Divorce Is Right for You
If you'd like to talk through your options, reach out to Dr. Heller to discuss your situation.
Contact Dr. HellerBased in New York City. Licensed in New York, Florida, and Connecticut.