THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR ANSWERS

This blog post originally appeared on LG Designs’ website as a guest blog post. Read the full post here… We all ask and answer dozens of questions in a single day. “Did you find everything you were looking for?” asks the grocery checker at Trader Joe’s....

Family Mediation After The Death of a Loved one

Greg, Larry and Shelley’s mother passed away. Although the mother had a valid Last Will and Testament which provided for the distribution of her real property, stocks, and cash, she also left a houseful of furniture including the childhood bedroom furniture of...

When Adult Siblings Don’t Agree

I recently met with two sisters who were completely at odds about their aging Mother, Anna. The older sister, Kelly, is a stay-at-home mom, with a very successful husband and two pre-teen children. The younger sister, Kim, is single, no kids, struggling to make ends...

Divorce Support

You’re thinking about ending your relationship. You’ve confided in your built-in support system: friends and family, most likely. They are automatically on your side, and you can and should be leaning on them. After all, your family and friends want you to...

What is a Parenting Plan?

When you are contemplating divorce, the most important considerations have to do with your children. Where will they live? With whom? What about child support? Health insurance? Vacations? Extracurricular activities? College expenses? Babysitting? As any divorced...

Why Choose Mediation?

Mediation is an excellent alternative to the traditional (adversarial) divorce method. Not only is it much less expensive, it is much more expedient, and infinitely more peaceful. When mediating your divorce, you have meaningful conversations with your partner in...

Family Mediation in Estate Planning

“Andrea” was a teenager when her grandmother died. Among the many memories of time spent together, Andrea thought often about the simple glass bowl filled with M&Ms in the entryway of her grandmother’s house. After the funeral, the house was sold and the personal...

Ending the Relationship; Revising the Contract

Relationships are contracts, whether or not legally sanctioned. They represent negotiations and deals, the details of which often change over time. If the parties cannot adjust to the inevitable changes, the relationship most likely will end. We’ve all heard...

Divorce Without Lawyers?

Is it possible for two people to end their relationship in a fair and respectful manner without spending thousands of dollars on attorneys’ fees? Absolutely. Anger, resentment, disappointment, and betrayal are common feelings when a divorce is imminent....

18 Rules of Living by the Dalai Lama – Rule #16

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. I’m choosing to interpret this rule rather broadly. While it certainly would apply to visiting a foreign country, I think it can also mean venturing out of our comfort zones. Particularly as we age,...

18 Rules of Living by the Dalai Lama – Rule #17

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. Parents. Children. Siblings. Family. We love them and we need them. We also have expectations of them — we need them to act a certain way, say...

18 Rules of Living by the Dalai Lama – Rule #18

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. Ask anyone what “success” means, and you’ll hear a different answer each time. Ask what “compromise” means, and you’ll hear a similar answer every time. My...