by Nancy | Aug 31, 2022
As I am sure you can imagine, tempers often flare during mediation and dealing with emotions is a large part of what I do.For example, last year I worked with a divorcing couple who had three teenagers. According to “Jessica,” her husband had a drinking problem....
by Nancy | Aug 24, 2022
“It’s easy to be wise after the event.” ~ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. If I had a crystal ball, I certainly wouldn’t have gotten married for the first time at the age of 20, and I would have left the marriage sooner than I ultimately did. The...
by Nancy | Aug 17, 2022
My mom used to subscribe to a magazine that had a monthly feature entitled “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” I loved reading those articles because they’d showcase each party’s side and then the marriage counselor would weigh in with sage...
by Nancy | Aug 10, 2022
While I was at UCLA, I worked in a law office with a married woman who was about 10 years older than me. The day after every single holiday or gift-giving occasion, she would come to work bitterly disappointed because her husband never did what she wanted him to do. I...
by Nancy | Aug 3, 2022
Imagine you’re out walking your dog on a Saturday morning enjoying the exercise and the fresh air when, all of a sudden, he pulls on his leash and starts to growl. Why? Because somebody else’s dog has approached, and that dog is not on a leash. Fortunately, your...
by Nancy | Jul 27, 2022
Throughout my ongoing personal journey of grief and loss, I’ve discovered that there is a universal commonality. We are all resilient. It’s amazing, it’s comforting, and it’s also mind-boggling. How can we, in the depths of our despair, manage...
by Nancy | Jul 20, 2022
If you’ve ever been involved in a heated discussion and found yourself enraged by a single statement, you probably understand that your partner, sibling, colleague or parent knows exactly how to push your buttons, and you likely know exactly how to push theirs....
by Nancy | Jul 13, 2022
This subject comes up from time to time, particularly when I’m having a private conversation with a male client. I tend to wonder about the different ways men and women think about divorce, how they deal with it, and whether the court sometimes has an...
by Nancy | Jul 6, 2022
As much as I’d like to write about baseball today, it’s not happening. Instead, I’m going to address the concept of second chances. I wonder whether you’ve ever asked someone for a second chance, or if you’ve given one to somebody...
by Nancy | Jun 29, 2022
What happens to the relationship between you and your grandchildren when their parents are involved in a bitter divorce? How can you stay in the lives of your grandchildren when your negative opinion of their mom (or dad) is well-known? Grandparents can absolutely...
by Nancy | Jun 22, 2022
Every so often, I get a call from a client telling me that they’ve reconciled. It’s news I’m always happy to hear, especially if they have children and especially if they’re willing to do the work. What typically happens next is that a few...
by Nancy | Jun 15, 2022
Families are complicated. We all know that. There’s nothing quite like grudge-holding, judgmental relatives who gossip behind your back. (Except, maybe, middle-school cliques.) Nevertheless, you want your family members to love and support you. “What...
