Expectation Management 101 (Three Minute Read)

Expectation Management 101 (Three Minute Read)

I seem to be managing expectations lately, my own and those of my divorce mediation clients. When I’m dealing with my own, I don’t often clearly identify my expectations until I realize that they haven’t been met. With my divorce clients, I am more...
No-Fault Divorce – Good or Bad? (Three Minute Read)

No-Fault Divorce – Good or Bad? (Three Minute Read)

Nevada is one of 17 states in the U.S. where divorce is considered “no fault.”  This means that it’s not necessary to cite the reason, such as infidelity or abandonment. In fact, Nevada is one of the easiest states in which to obtain a divorce...
Can Adoption be a Risk to your Marriage?  (Three Minute Read)

Can Adoption be a Risk to your Marriage? (Three Minute Read)

Couples who adopt are very special. It’s a massive decision with lifetime implications. I think it starts with a “what if …?” and ends with a “let’s do it!”  In my mediation practice, I’ve had to deal with what happens next. You bring the baby, toddler, child,...
Why Do Now What We Can Put Off Until Later? (Three Minute Read)

Why Do Now What We Can Put Off Until Later? (Three Minute Read)

I’ve been thinking that procrastination isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s a human thing. We all do it. So, let’s take a moment to consider the consequences of, and yes, the rewards for procrastinating. That being said, maybe “reward” is too strong a word....
Planning a Family Reunion? (Three Minute Read)

Planning a Family Reunion? (Three Minute Read)

It’s almost summertime, and the living might not be so easy if you’re planning a Family Reunion. Your checklist is ever-growing, from logistics, to activities, to dealing with all of the colorful personalities that make your family unique. Think you can please...
Try Starting Your Sentences With “I” (Three Minute Read)

Try Starting Your Sentences With “I” (Three Minute Read)

I want you to spend three minutes reading this post.  (See what I did there?) Let’s start by thinking about how you might handle the following situations:1. Your neighbors leave their dog outside and it barks all night long, keeping you awake.2. A coworker takes...
Building Your Legacy (Three Minute Read)

Building Your Legacy (Three Minute Read)

I recently lost a brother-in-law to cancer, and a friend to a sudden heart attack.  Their deaths affected me profoundly and made me consider the legacies they built and left behind. The literal definition of “legacy,” at least according to Merriam-Webster,...
Do You Need to Have the Last Word? (Three Minute Read)

Do You Need to Have the Last Word? (Three Minute Read)

In mediation, as well as in my personal life, the people with whom I interact frequently need to have the last word. And I have no problem allowing them to have it because it isn’t important to me. Why isn’t it important to me? Why is it important to them? I decided...
Help! I’m Stuck with a Control Freak! (Three Minute Read)

Help! I’m Stuck with a Control Freak! (Three Minute Read)

Am I hitting a nerve? Are you inclined to let control freaks have their way because it’s easier than arguing? That is, until you’ve reached your last nerve and end up losing it over something like a coffee mug! In mediation, one of my primary goals is to make sure the...
Can We Talk? (Three Minute Read)

Can We Talk? (Three Minute Read)

Let me start with a confession – I text like a teenager.  Technology in general, and texting in particular help me run my life with efficiency. I can send a text to my friend to tell him I’m running five minutes late, and I can confirm tomorrow’s mediation...
What Triggers Your Emotions? (Three Minute Read)

What Triggers Your Emotions? (Three Minute Read)

Sometimes I think I could have been a decent actress because I can cry on demand. All I need to do is conjure up a memory about my dad and the tears start to roll. Those memories are emotional triggers for me. During a recent divorce mediation, I used the word...