Divorce & Child Custody Mediation Committee
Welcome to our committee! We are very excited to share information and provide resources to members of LACAMFT regarding Divorce & Child Custody issues.
One of our goals is to help promote social change and help elevate consciousness in this arena. We are living in a time of great change and transformation, and as marriage & family therapists, we help our clients facilitate change to enhance their lives. Sometimes, through therapy, couples can repair their relationship, and other times they can’t. At that time, separation and divorce can become a part of their lives, but how couples choose to handle this process is oftentimes a choice.
The old ways of divorcing where families are destroyed both emotionally and financially in the litigation process, where couples carry rage for the next 25 years, and children get lost, has to stop. Our society is only hindered in this process.
There is a creative, less expensive, and healthier way to end a marriage. Mediation is a cooperative, rather than a combative approach to settling disputes “out of court.” When couples divorce they often think “this is the end of my family.” In reality, it’s the beginning of a “family reorganization”, where people have the opportunity to decide what’s best for their family with dignity and respect, build healthier communication, begin the healing process, and rebuild a new life.
When your clients question whether they should separate or divorce, how can you help inform them of their options?
FAQ’S: What happens when you separate? What should I ask my lawyer? What are the various ways to divorce? How do we separate our assets? How do we handle our liabilities? What about spousal & child support? How do we tell our children? How do we create a parenting plan where our children have time with both of us? What about birthdays and holidays? How long before the divorce is final?
What our committee offers:
1. We plan to offer meetings on the first Wednesday of each month from 4:00pm to 5:30pm at the office of Kathy Memel, where members can bring their cases and questions to us regarding divorce, child custody and family law matters. Our first meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. Please call (310) 286-9201, to reserve your space.
2. We are planning to offer a series of Continuing Education classes for professional development on Divorce & Child Custody Mediation, provide valuable resources in this area, and help you build another aspect to your practice.
3. Our committee has already created a divorce & child custody google group and provides an interactive forum for your questions and concerns. Please join us at http://groups.google.com/group/divorceandfamilylawmediation.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our committee. We warmly invite you to be a part of our journey.
Kathy Memel, Ph.D, MFT
Psychotherapy & Counseling
Divorce & Child Custody Mediation
424 So. Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 286-9201
Warren R. Shiell, Esq.
Family Law Attorney & Mediator
9935 So. Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 247-9913
