The Role Of Your Team Members

Building Your Collaborative Practice Team

It’s integral that you approach a Collaborative Practice process with the expertise of our experts as you transition into the next phase of your life.

Our approach is flexible and the extent to which different Collaborative Practice trained professionals are involved is tailored to meet the needs and wishes of the family. In Manitoba, we are fortunate to have an Association made up of highly skilled professionals who are trained and experienced in the Collaborative Practice. These dedicated professionals are committed to offering you the approach to help protect the dignity, integrity and long-term best interests of all family members.

Lawyers

Lawyers are trained in Collaborative Practice, conflict resolution and mediation. Their primary area of practice and experience is in Family Law. Lawyers use a non-adversarial approach to address division of assets, setting of spousal support, child maintenance and custody and access issues. Lawyers guide their client through the legal process and prepare the necessary documents.

Relationship Coaches

Relationship Coaches are licensed and/or registered psychologists and social workers whose primary area of practice is in family relationships and who are trained in mediation, conflict resolution and Collaborative Practice. Through their therapeutic background, coaches recognize the strong emotions experienced by divorcing couples that can often get in the way of effective collaboration on the legal issues, delaying resolution. Coaches can help clients to sort through these emotions. A coach works to help manage conflict between spouses and optimize communication so that couples can successfully move through the divorce process and develop an effective co-parenting relationship for the future. Typically each spouse will have their own coach and coaches work in collaboration with the team.

Child Specialists

Child Specialists are licensed and/or registered psychologists and social workers with training in child-development issues as well as having expertise related to the concerns of children of divorce. The child specialist provides a safe environment for the child(ren) to express their feelings and works to ensure that the needs of the children are considered in the legal process.

Financial Specialists

Financial Specialists are Certified Financial Planners with training in Collaborative Practice and conflict resolution as well as specialized training in financial issues related to separation and divorce. The financial specialist works for both divorcing parties to clarify the current financial status and help the parties to choose the best financial outcome based on the particulars of each case.