The joy of collaboration is in working together, sharing responsibilities and creating something that is more than the sum of its individual parts.
Collaborative law shares these values, and clients – and lawyers – are rewarded by having the opportunity to work with a team to resolve issues and gain much-needed support.
Dr. Graeme Clark is a source of this kind of support. As a psychologist, and a Collaborative Professional, he is frequently called upon to work alongside lawyers to provide support and expertise in divorce conflicts and other family law matters. He plays one of two roles in these cases: as a child specialist, he gives voice to the children who are involved in these disputes, and as a divorce coach, he interacts as a short-term support for one of the parties in a claim.
“I first got involved with the legal side of things in the mid-90s,” Graeme says, “where I provided child protection evaluations. But I was delighted to find lawyers who were interested in working more as a team to help resolve divorce conflicts, and so I did my Collaborative Professional training with LESA to be able to work with lawyers in a collaborative approach. I’m so glad I did – it has been so rewarding.”
Particularly rewarding is Graeme’s work with children in a divorce conflict. “I definitely enjoy working with kids,” he says, “and in this kind of work, I’m happy to help arrange parenting plans that truly put the child’s best interest first, and help ease the stress for the child. I’m glad to be able to give the child a voice in these disputes, and where possible, help them feel involved in making decisions that dramatically affect their lives.”
Graeme finds the collaborative methods mesh well with his philosophy about his own profession. “Family crisis and conflict is stressful for everyone involved, especially for children who may not understand what it’s all about. In collaborative work, all of the parties are supported, which allows them to work together to find the best solutions to these complex problems. As a coach and child specialist, I’m so glad to be able to offer this kind of assistance.”
Graeme does distinguish between the services he offers as a collaborative professional and his own private psychology practice. “As a coach, I offer short-term future-oriented support. It’s not therapy, it’s not long-term counseling. If I feel the client would benefit from this kind of work, I generally refer them on to a colleague. But as a coach, I help them to express what they’re feeling and to more actively process their emotional experience.”
For many clients, speaking with a divorce coach is the first opportunity they’ve taken to talk about their emotional experience with a professional. “Often, a client will be new to the idea of seeking counseling, particularly men,” Graeme says, “and for many it can be a relief to have someone to talk to. Many times, in a divorce, one party has already moved on, and the other is much farther behind in the grieving process. It can be very useful for this person to have some help in dealing with this process, and it can make the resolution of the issues in the divorce much more positive.”
For Graeme, it is this ability to provide support for the parties to resolve their issues positively that makes the collaborative approach so worthwhile. “Working together is so beneficial for everyone involved. I enjoy working as a team, I enjoy working with lawyers in this way, and I really believe in this process. The results speak for themselves.”
LESA’s collaborative programs are open to financial, psychological and legal professionals and provide the training required to register with the Association of Collaborative Lawyers of Alberta. Click here for more information.
