Our focus today will be on learning more about the Workbooks that we use as part of our legal and mediation services, which have recently expanded to 3 different Workbook options.
The Workbooks described
In December 2020 I introduced the first Workbook that I use with separating and divorcing clients called Our Family In Two Homes – which is for parents who are separating or divorcing while they are still raising their children.
Now, I have expanded my collection of Workbooks to include 2 more options:
One is called Our Family in a Few Homes – this workbook is for separating or divorcing couples who have adult children, or even those who may not have children at all together
And the other is called Designing our Future Together – this Workbook is for couples who are planning the next chapter of living together, getting married, having children, growing old together, or even going through marital mediation.
What’s inside the Workbooks?
I break down the components of the workbooks into 3 categories –
- Building a strong foundation for the future either together or separate – it’s about working on things like trust, communication, and reflecting on conflict styles and values. These help the parties to reflect on themselves and on the other party to help them to move forward being in each other’s lives in whatever capacity that may be, in a healthy way.
- Preparation for Negotiations – there’s a number of questions posed in the Workbooks that will allow you to prepare for the discussions with me, either as your mediator or as your lawyer. The questions are in the Workbooks so that you have time to process the issues ahead of our meetings. The more work you put into the Workbook, the less time you’ll need with me, which is a direct cost and time savings.
- Legal Information – In the Workbooks for separating and divorcing families, there’s the legal framework for each topic that will need to be covered in the negotiations. Of course, the law is complex, but I describe the Workbook as the “law 101”. Once you have the framework, then during our meetings together we can go straight into the “201 of the law” rather than starting at square-one, again cutting time and cost.
How do these Workbooks help families?
These workbooks are designed to help families dig deeper, to do the transformational work that is necessary to become a healthy, thriving family either after separation or after moving in together.
It creates an environment for couples or former couples to transition into this new era of their life with a strong foundation for the future.
So often for families this is time is about protecting oneself, getting one’s guard up, and escalating conflict.
Starting the negotiation process by getting a Workbook and working through the questions and information contained inside will start people on the right foot, consciously setting out to make the best decisions possible about the future, together.
The Workbooks are not a do-it-yourself guide. They are provided as part of my initial mediation package or legal services package, and they include live hours with me.
So, the concept is that each party will do the foundational work first, do some learning, do some thinking about how they see each of the topics being resolved, and then they will get help from me in the areas that they need help on.
As you can imagine, the more time that is spent outside of their time with me, working through the issues before I get involved, the more I can focus my time with them on the sticking points.
What does it mean to be a family practitioner who brings these extra resources to clients?
At the end of the day, I have a passion for helping families in a healthy way to transition either to separation or to designing their future together as a couple. These Workbooks are my way of working towards achieving that.
I have an exclusively out-of-court practice for a reason. First, I want to help people to stay in the driver’s seat through their journey, making their own decisions rather than having decisions made for them by a judge.
But, there’s another reason – I want to help families to build a strong foundation that parties need to succeed in their transition, and this doesn’t happen in court. This is where the Workbooks are so necessary for couples and former couples to find their path to a healthy, thriving family after separation or moving in together. So, there’s finding resolution… and then there’s finding resolution built on a strong foundation of working together. I want to be part of this leveling-up by families.
I believe in the resilience of families in working through these relationship transitions, but the degree of their resilience, and the speed at which resilience is achieved will be dependent on the work that families put into their resolution process. I am so honoured to be part of that work with families.
How can families get more information about the Workbooks?
Check out our resources section for an entire page dedicated to the Workbooks. Or, call our office to book your free 5-minute call with me to discuss whether the Workbook is a good option for your family – 780.875.2234.
Henka Divorce Law & Mediation is a Collaborative Law and Family Mediation firm that helps families thrive as they transition to separation, divorce, or cohabitation. Understanding that every journey is different, we guide families through the right legal or mediation process that fits their unique situation.
Our client service is built on three pillars – focusing on the future, nurturing and supporting children, and working together towards well-being. This includes considering everyone’s needs throughout the process. We work closely with families to provide a meaningful and fair resolution, while keeping costs down by staying out of court.
We serve families in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada through their separation or divorce by providing in-person and virtual Collaborative Law or Mediation services.
With extensive knowledge in matrimonial law, our founder Stephanie Dobson uses a caring, results-focused approach to help parents navigate a family separation or divorce while they connect with and support their children. Learn more about her approach and credentials. As an educator, Stephanie Dobson is Founder, CEO, and Content Creator of Up A Notch Learning Inc., an e-learning platform to empower separating and divorcing families globally with a collection of positive and constructive resources. Visit our website to learn more.