Divorce doesn’t have to be a messy and tragic process, especially when there are children involved. In fact, research shows that about 20% of divorces are amicable. Couples with minor children who have good communication skills and a focus on long-term outcomes for their children can work together effectively to resolve differences and make the transition as smooth as possible. Written by a psychologist and a divorce lawyer with nearly 100 years of experience working with divorcing spouses and families, this research-based book provides a roadmap for having a sensible divorce that focuses on the long-term goals of both parties. Don’t let the emotions of the separation get in the way of making the best decisions for your future. Use the knowledge and skills in this book to guide you through the process.

How to Divorce with Grace, a Little Class, and a Lot of Common Sense Sam Margulies, one of the most experienced mediators in the country, shares his experience to help men make this unpleasant process as quick and amicable as possible. His suggestions on how to manage this turbulent period will significantly minimize the effects of divorce on the separating couple, and on any children in the relationship. Taking into consideration custody issues, and giving specific financial and legal advice, men will find information about how to choose a lawyer, how to deal with a pre-nup, and when and when not to go to trial. Margulies explores all the elements that make for a good, fair divorce, as well as the importance of timing and the decision to get counseling. He also explains how to avoid a legal mess, the long term implications of alimony and child support, dividing up property, and how to negotiate the final agreement. In A Man's Guide to a Civilized Divorce, Margulies helps men avoid the treacherous waters of divorce and illustrates how with the right advice, one can actually come through the process in pretty good shape.

Divorce is painful and confusing. Perhaps now more than ever, you want to give your child all the love, support, and guidance he or she needs, but everything seems harder and more complicated. Helping Your Kids Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way can help. Based on Gary Neuman's phenomenally successful Sandcastles program, which has helped more than fifty thousand children cope with divorce, this warm, empathetic guide shows you: How to build a co-parenting relationship--even when you think you can't When you or your child should see a therapist Age-appropriate scripts for addressing sensitive issues What to do when a parent moves away How to stop fighting with your ex-spouse How to navigate the emotional turmoil of custody and visitation How to help your child deal with change How to cope with kids' common fears about separation How to introduce significant others into the family and help your child cope with a new stepfamily More than a hundred pieces of artwork from children of divorce will help you appreciate how kids perceive the experience. Dozens of special activities and fun exercises will help you communicate and get closer to your child. This guide shows you that divorce need not be an inevitable blot on children's lives, but an opportunity for them to grow and strengthen the bonds with their parents.

When conducting parenting plan evaluations, mental health professionals need to be aware of a myriad of different factors. More so than in any other form of forensic evaluation, they must have an understanding of the most current findings in developmental research, behavioral psychology, attachment theory, and legal issues to substantiate their opinions. With a number of publications on child custody available, there is an essential need for a text focused on translating the research associated with the most important topics within the family court. This book addresses this gap in the literature by presenting an organized and in-depth analysis of the current research and offering specific recommendations for applying these findings to the evaluation process. Written by experts in the child custody arena, chapters cover issues associated with the most important and complex issues that arise in family court, such as attachment and overnight timesharing with very young children, dynamics between divorced parents and children's potential for resiliency, co-parenting children with chronic medical conditions and developmental disorders, domestic violence during separation and divorce, gay and lesbian co-parents, and relocation, among others. The scientific information provided in these chapters assists forensic mental health professionals to proffer empirically-based opinions, conclusions and recommendations. Parenting Plan Evaluations is a must-read for legal practitioners, family law judges and attorneys, and other professionals seeking to understand more about the science behind child custody evaluations.

For more than 25 years, we've been helping people figure out 1) how they'll pay their bills after divorce and 2) on what financial foundation they will go forward. Some people assume our family transition work is depressing. In fact, once a family has accepted that the marriage will not go forward, we believe our work helps them build a healthy, secure financial foundation for the new life they seek and perhaps were meant to live. We will be your financial guide through this time as we seek to change the way we divorce for the benefit of real families going through this transition. Think long and hard about signing up for the combative divorce process that asks that you have a non-financial professional (usually your attorney) work out your finances. You have to live with the results, not your attorney. Ask for a financial professional trained in dividing a marital estate, trained in deep financial calculations, and trained in working with stressed clients who want to transparently understand their finances at a critical fork in the road. This book is not about how to invest after your settlement, this book is the divorce financial planning that should happen in the divorce process. Learn what you can do and what you should expect of the professionals you hire so that you can create a life you love and can afford on the other side of one of life's toughest transitions.

A lawyer and a psychologist offer a groundbreaking divorce strategy that protects both your finances and your family. From your first thought of divorce through the final paperwork, Your Divorce Advisor takes you step by step toward a divorce that dissolves the marriage but not your dignity, your sense of family, or your financial security. Whether you hire a lawyer or a mediator, or do it yourself, this practical, direct, and empowering guide offers you the wise counsel you need for both the legal and the emotional processes of ending your marriage. Your Divorce Advisor shows you how to: -Keep a healthy perspective that leads to a successful legal strategy and recognize when emotions threaten your case -Protect your assets without destroying your family Offering: -Detailed coverage of all your legal options and guidance through every legal step, including anticipating the emotional repercussions of your decisions -More information on custody than any other divorce book, including age-appropriate custody schedules -A sample divorce agreement explained one paragraph at a time Your Divorce Advisor helps you set yourself and your family on a positive course toward a new life.

The Handbook of Divorce and Custody brings together mental health professionals and forensic specialists dedicated to working in the legal arena with families in crisis. Section I provides the individual perspectives of experienced clinicians, all of whom share a psychodynamic and developmental purview, and supplements their accounts with the viewpoints of a lawyer and a judge. Section II examines parental psychopathology, which is often at the root of family conflict and turmoil. Section III deals with the nature and extent of the state's potential involvement with the family, from ensuring parents' rights to raise their children to identifying those circumstances that justify the termination of parental rights. The remaining three sections follow the progressive issues engaged by divorcing families as they work their way through the legal system: forensic evaluation, post-divorce legal arrangements, and the emotional aftermath of divorce, including indications for various types of therapeutic intervention. Through the Handbook, contributors pay special attention to a set of core issues that underlie - and complicate - the evaluations, recommendations, and judicial determinations that enter into the divorce/custody process. Specifically, they focus on the inherent conflict between the family's right to privacy and the state's commitment to the best interest of children; the increasingly uncertain question of what constitutes a family and who has the right to legal standing; the problematic role of fathers in the lives of their children; the nature of the evaluation process and the role of the forensic expert in a "good enough" evaluation; the important differences between the role of therapist and the role of evaluator; and, finally, the impact of divorce itself on the lives of today's children.