My Daughter’s Two Mothers Recently I met a new person (Let’s call him Peter) in the home of my daughter’s stepmother (Let’s call her Ann). Peter already knew Ann pretty well and already knew my daughter (Let’s call her Laurie) as...
Does Divorce Mediation Work? Source: TopCounselingSchools.org Virginia L Colin, Ph.D. is a Professional Family Mediator certified by the Virginia Supreme Court. She is not an attorney or a therapist. For a free consultation about whether family mediation would be helpful for...
How to Do Well in a Custody or Visitation Hearing In Virginia, when custody and/or visitation are in dispute, judges use known criteria to discern what will be best for a child. The factors they weigh include: the age and...
Separation and Reconciliation Agreements Sadly, most couples who separate remain separated and eventually divorce. Sometimes, though, some time away from each other, with counseling during the separation, helps them find ways to heal and strengthen their relationship. While they are unsure...
Domestic Violence woman It’s a tough topic. People don’t like to think about it. They don’t want to know how many people are affected by it. According to a 2010 CDC study,* one of every four women and one...
How Divorce Affects Children kids at the beach Most children do not want their parents to get divorced. They may feel angry, depressed, and/or scared. It may take them some time to regain their sense of security. Most, however, are...
Court Orders: Read Them teens at restaurant Today’s tip: If you have a Court Order about custody, visitation, or support, read it at least once a year. You may have rights or obligations that you have forgotten about. One time...
Frustrations of a Family Mediator baby’s face 1. I cannot fix everything for everybody. People have the personalities, anxieties, hostilities, and blind spots that they have, and I cannot always get them to think and speak from the best parts...
Tips for Negotiating Successfully, Part 2 You can find Part 1, with the first ten tips, on this page. 11. Begin by asking for more than you want. This is my least favorite advice to give. It grates against my...
Things I Learned Recently from a Judge This includes comments about adultery, custody, spousal support, absentee parents, counseling, spying on your partner’s email, and property distribution. Adultery may have almost no effect on a judge’s decisions about custody and visitation....
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