Happy May, Collaborative friends! It’s beyond hard to believe that summer is fast approaching. I feel like I just wrote my January letter to you. But here we are. I have a new challenge for you. You probably don’t realize this, but my time as the President of the Board of Trustees of Collaborative Divorce Texas is coming to an end as quickly as summer is approaching. So I’ve saved one of my best challenges for last. And not to alienate our extremely important and valuable Collaborative … [Read more...]

We all hope to have clients who can easily pay all the fees and costs associated with a collaborative case. In those instances where income or resources are tight there are options to consider which will allow those individuals to still participate in the collaborative process. Start by looking at each party’s income. In many cases when your client does not have sufficient income the other party does. Even when the parties do not earn adequate income from employment, they may have assistance … [Read more...]

It is not too late to register to attend the March 30 and 31, 2023 Collaborative Law Course (b/k/a “Spring Conference”) at the Sonesta Bee Cave Hotel in Austin. This years theme is “Collaborative Camp Out”, and the “out of the city” locale should allow for an even greater opportunity ability to network and exchange ideas with other collaborative-minded professionals. The Course Directors and Planning Committee have created a lineup of experienced presenters addressing timely collaborative topics … [Read more...]

Annual Verification (all credentialed/master credentialed)/5 Year Verification (Class of 2018 only) in Credentialing are due on or before April 30, 2023. Use the following links for the appropriate application for you and to find more information. Forms can be obtained by logging into the Member’s Section of the CDT Website. 5 Year Verification of Education and Training for class of 2018 (due April 31, 2023) (THIS IS FOR THE CLASS OF 2018 ONLY)(IF YOU ARE FILLING THIS ONE OUT YOU WILL ALSO … [Read more...]

In the first joint meeting with collaborative clients, it’s important to describe the journey that they are about to undertake with their collaborative team.  We normally do this by reviewing and discussing the “Roadmap to Resolution” that we follow in the collaborative process. This “roadmap” is a classic problem-solving methodology where we attempt to identify the client’s goals and interests in this first meeting. After this initial meeting, the clients are usually off and running, … [Read more...]

In anticipation of an exceptional 2023 Forum in Toronto, the Forum Planning Committee of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals is accepting workshop and PFI (Pre-Forum Institute) proposals earlier than in years past. Do you have great ideas and cutting-edge information to share with the Collaborative community? If so, IACP wants to hear from you. Keep in mind that Forum attendees have varying degrees of Collaborative Practice experience, serve in communities from around the … [Read more...]

January 2023 3rd Noon -1:00 P.M. CDT Lunch and Learn   Speaker:  Liza Greene, Topic: Bankruptcy for the Collaborative Divorce Practitioner (Zoom) 27th  10:15 A.M. Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota Training: Home Will Never Be the Same Again: Help for Parents of Gray Divorce and their Adult Children, Who Are Stakeholders in their Parent's Divorce (ZOOM) February 2023 7th Noon -1:00 P.M. CDT Lunch and Learn   Speaker: Jamie Patterson, Topic TBA … [Read more...]

November 2022 16th 11:00 A.M. (Texas Time) IACP Initial Client Contact: The Conversation is Everything Speakers: Louise Livesay-Al, Kendra Erkamaa, Brian Burns, and Kris Algert (Webinar) December 2022 6th Noon -1:00 P.M. December CDT Lunch and Learn   Speaker:  Robin Watts, Topic: Peacefakers, Peacebreakers, and Peacemakers: Managing Interpersonal Conflict Styles in the Collaborative Process (Zoom) January 2023 3rd Noon -1:00 P.M. CDT Lunch and … [Read more...]

If you have read a book, article or seen a media presentation about or relevant to Collaborative Divorce, please feel free to submit a review and/or recommendation to CDT and allow us to share with the Collaborative Community. Send submissions to cquaid@quaidfarish.com. … [Read more...]

Growing Collaborative Practice requires increasing awareness and connectivity. One avenue by which Collaborative Divorce Texas can assist in accomplishing such growth is to provide a vehicle to publicize upcoming presentations or events that may be of interest to CDT members. In this era of virtual presentation, greater audiences can be reached, and professional connections created or strengthened.  Therefore, this Newsletter has a monthly feature “What’s Going on In the Collaborative Community” … [Read more...]

July 2022 21st   5:30 -7:00pm CT   Collaborative Divorce Collin County presents  Premarital and Post-marital Agreements in the Collaborative Process Speakers: Amy Lambert, JD (Austin), Lindley Bain, JD (Austin), David Brunson, CFA, CFP, CDFA (Plano) and Syd Sharples, LCSW (Austin). (ZOOM) Description:   The panel will review the requirements of these agreements and compare handling them via the traditional method versus in the Collaborative … [Read more...]

June 2022 16th   10:00 am. CT   IACP Presents: To Tell or Not to tell: Who needs to know? (Zoom) 22nd 1:00 p.m. CT Standards & Ethics Webinar: Your Playbook: IACP Ethical Standards. IACP’s Standards and Ethics committee present scenarios with challenging ethical issues found in Collaborative Practice Presenters: Stephanie L. Dobson, B.A., J.D., Bonnie M. Brown, & Edward Sachs CPA, ACP; Free to members, $50.00 USD for non-members 24 CDT Advanced … [Read more...]

Applications to be Credentialed or Master Credentialed are due to the Credentialing Committee of CDT on or before September 30, 2022. Forms can be obtained by logging into the Member’s Section of  the CDT Website and using the following link: https://members.collaborativedivorcetexas.com/member-services/collaborative-divorce-professional-credentialing/Please be sure to review the "Instructions for Filling Out Applications" before attempting to complete your application by logging into the … [Read more...]

We are all keenly aware of the harm that outside shadow advisors can do to the collaborative process. We vet our clients thoroughly and take cautious steps to minimize the influence these advisors may have over them. But there exists another type of shadow advisor: one in the room, but still covert, the “expert” client. This shadow advisor can be as damaging to collaborative resolution as any other one and we must all recognize and address them in a collaborative manner to limit harm to the … [Read more...]

As my year of being CDT President has wound down, I want to say thanks and share a few of the blessings I have enjoyed in the doing of it. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” I trust we’ve all experienced profound success in the last year, even as we have all continued to struggle past the unexpected and painful challenges of the same. The ripples of a global pandemic have touched every topic, detail, and rhythm of … [Read more...]

May 2022 18th 1:00 P.M. CT IACP Presents: Utilizing your Clients' Experiences to Improve Your Practice (Zoom) IACP MEMBERS ONLY  June 2022 3rd   8:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 2nd annual CollabFest Midwest sponsored by Iowa Collaborative Divorce! (Zoom) 16th   10:00 am. CT   IACP Presents: To Tell or Not to tell: Who needs to know? (Zoom) 24 CDT Advanced Interdisciplinary Colaborative Training (in person Austin) September … [Read more...]

Collaborative Divorce is about helping our clients resolve their problems and about addressing issues in a way that will best equip them as they move forward into their futures. We invite them to practice mindfulness as they do this. We ask that they work through the stress and emotions of the moment by paying attention to their thoughts and feelings and expressing them in goals and interests instead of dwelling in the past. Amid these expectations we, as professionals, need to be mindful of … [Read more...]

As we move into summer, I continue to hear great compliments about the Spring Conference. In every one of my collaborative group meetings, post-conference, it seems the team introduces a new concept or practice they learned from the excellent content presented in DFW. I want to extend my thanks to the co-chairs, planning committee and all the presenters. It so nice to be in person, actually sharing life, and helpful work-conversations with incredible professionals! Earl Nightingale is a voice … [Read more...]

“I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.”  - Musician and Educator Jana Stanfield All of our CDT attorneys, mental health professionals and financial professionals who sit at collaborative tables with families in Texas, make important and helpful differences because of their knowledge and voice. They need your experience and informed discernment to help sort out their next chapter and I believe you are doing the best you can by partnering … [Read more...]

April 2022 12 Power: Understanding or Coercion? (Virtual) Speaker Gary J. Friedman - 10:00am to 11:00am 26 Collaborative Divorce Collin County Team Thursday Legacy Hall - 5:30-7:00 p.m., 7800 Windrose Avenue, Plano Texas 75024. Just Socializing With the Collaborative Community (in Person) If you plan to attend, send an email to Camille Scroggins at camille@ccscrogginslaw.com no later than noon on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.  Include the names and email addresses of the attendees for … [Read more...]

The last major professional gathering most of us attended was likely the 2020 Spring Conference. While that seems so long ago, the strong bond of the collaborative community once again was on display last month in Dallas. The collective spirit of all who gathered to learn, grow, and socialize created an incredible atmosphere and opportunity not just to reconnect but to rejuvenate. To appreciate the process and participants in what we are engaged. To what we are dedicated. From opening … [Read more...]

Kris Algert Julia Bancroft Kyle Basinger Mike Benaglio Catherine Benouis Suzanne Blake David Bouschor Shannon Bradshaw Marie Briner Jennifer Broussard David Brunson Rhonda Cleaves Barbara Cole Dodee Crockett Tim (The Crouch Group) Crouch Becky Davenport Mary Beth Dennie Esther Donald Melinda Eitzen Jack Emmott Angela England-Pence Jennifer Failla Christopher Farish Jonathan Friday Mickey Gayler … [Read more...]

The 2022 Annual Meeting of the CDT Membership will be held during Spring Conference at the Westin Galleria on March 25 from Noon to 1:15 p.m..  There are many reasons you should attend: a State of the CDT Union will be presented by officers and Committee reports provided by committee chairs, new Board Members introduced, and the 2022 recipient of the Gay G. Cox Award will be revealed. BUT the primary reason to attend is that CDT is YOUR organization.  An organization that is helping … [Read more...]

Fellow friends and colleagues, Serious times call for serious hearts. We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 18th century German poet As we anticipate the hope and goodness of Springtime ahead, unsettling images from around the globe, right on the heels of a two-year global pandemic, are enough to cause us, and all those we serve …more than a little PTSD in our souls. If we can bring steady words and a calming presence into … [Read more...]

March 2022 24 and 25 “Spring Conference 2022” SBOT Collaborative Law Course to be held at the Westin Galleria Hotel – Dallas. (In Person) 25 CDT Annual Membership Meeting - Members Only 28-31 The 2022 IACP Global Virtual Institute (Virtual) The Institute will be held virtually on dates and times intended to accommodate as many of its international members as possible. The Institute offers five six-hour courses. Each course is broken into two days with three hours of instruction on each … [Read more...]

The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals is seeking speakers to present at its fully in-person 23rd Annual Networking & Educational Forum in Orlando, Florida on October 27-30, 2022. This year’s theme is Share the Collaborative Magic, and in the spirit thereof, IACP is soliciting its members to submit proposals for diverse, innovative, and in-demand topics of interest to the Collaborative World.   The deadline for proposals is March 8, 2022, 5:00 pm … [Read more...]

Valentine Greetings! CDT membership means so much to our profession; it’s a commitment to a better path for our clients towards their new normal. Thank you for being a member and thank you to the board for their time and talent, as hard-working volunteers! Please know that your board is always open to new ideas and suggestions. We want to enhance and expand our profession to new levels, year by year, going forward. I would like to share one of my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes. … [Read more...]

Bye, Bye 2021, glad you are done and in the books! I am so proud of our CDT Board and Ronda stepping up as our full-time Executive Director! Thank you for working diligently this year, overcoming many obstacles and staying focused on improving the Collaborative Divorce Texas organization. The board has been busy all year revamping policies and procedures, taking an active role in legislative changes, improving the website (spoiler alert – it is almost ready to go live), and promoting … [Read more...]

In 2017, Collaborative Divorce Texas made credentialing available to qualified legal, financial, and mental health professionals.  Getting credentialed involves several steps and can be challenging if you don’t plan ahead because some requirements take years to complete.  The requirements to qualify to be a Credentialed Collaborative Professional include: Be a member of CDT for three consecutive years prior to your application;Be licensed and in good standing with your applicable … [Read more...]

September 2021 14    The Financial Neutral Role – It’s not just about the numbers IACP September Webinar (open to non-members) For more information or register go to https://www.collaborativepractice.com/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=136 23-24   JUST ROLL WITH IT: Recognizing & Responding to Resistance, a virtual Two Day Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Presented by CDT (detailed elsewhere in this Newsletter) October 2021 5 Noon CDT October … [Read more...]

Congratulations to the new 2021-2022 State Bar of Texas Collaborative Law Section Council and Officers:  Chair: Jill LoweVice Chair: Chris FarishVice Chair, Family: Cindi Barella GrahamVice Chair, Civil: Anne ShutteeSecretary: Dianne CarlsonTreasurer: Constance Mims Immediate Past Chair: Laura Schlenker  Council Members are Richard Shannon and Lori Kern. In other BIG NEWS, the Section is launching a new and improved website this summer, CollaborativeLawSection.com Check it … [Read more...]

The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals’ 22nd Annual Forum: Lighting the Way Together will take place live and in person in San Diego October 28 – 31, 2021. For those unable to attend in person, the Forum will also be available through a virtual program entitled Beacon When We’re Apart. The Forum consists of 8 Pre-Forum Institutes, 29 in-person workshops and 9 virtual workshops, each with highly skilled collaborative presenters from around the world, renowned Keynote speakers, … [Read more...]

CDT will present JUST ROLL WITH IT: Recognizing & Responding to Resistance, a virtual Two Day Advanced Interdisciplinary Training on Thursday, September 23, 2021: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  and Friday September 24, 2021: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Trainer will be Deborah, Gilman, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist, mediator, child specialist, and coach who has special expertise working with those impacted by trauma. Dr. Gilman will inform us on how to better help clients navigate their … [Read more...]

CDT will have a vendor booth during next month’s Advanced Family Law Seminar in San Antonio (Aug 2-5), so please stop by and say hello to our Executive Director, Ronda Robinson, who will be manning the booth. She would love to see people in person - finally. It is also an opportunity to encourage colleagues to learn about and join CDT. Also, on Monday August 2, 2021’s Awards Ceremony (usually held at the end of the day’s session) Dr. Honey Sheff will be receiving her Gay G. Cox Award. This … [Read more...]

Your CDT Forms Committee (Chair, David S. Bouschor, II; members Amy Lambert and Camille Milner), have been working through the forms on the website to update them for everyone’s use. So far, we have completed the revisions to the Participation Agreement (Team and Lawyers Only Models) and the Short Form Highlights of the Participation Agreement and they have been approved by your Board so they are being uploaded to the CDT website.We have also been working on adding the “passport” language that … [Read more...]

Coronavirus or COVID-19 is creating all kinds of havoc in our lives and in business.  Here at The Crouch Group, we have some recommendations for how to manage during this crisis and hopefully emerge stronger after the crisis has passed.   1. Zoom  We are great fans of Zoom.  There are opportunities to conduct client meetings, webinars and even joint collaborative meetings by Zoom.  Some of our California clients are offering the Divorce Options class by Zoom.  … [Read more...]

One of the key elements of the Collaborative Divorce Texas public education campaign is to educate more people about the collaborative divorce. For the past 30 months, CDT has been using Social Media to introduce the collaborative divorce process and to drive traffic to the CDT Website.   The campaign was expanded statewide in July and as a result web traffic has been growing to new levels.  November web traffic reached a new high water mark with 6,731 visits to the website which … [Read more...]