Divorce and Taking a Moment to Breathe.
It is a Friday morning, and come noon I am going to sneak out of the office, drive up to Dana Point and catch a ferry over to Catalina Island. If you have not been to Catalina, it is like a Mediterranean desert isle with hillsides dotted in pastel colored houses,...
Five Tips for Couples Dealing with the Stress of Divorce:
Divorce is a stressful time. It is a time of uncertainty, change, emotional challenges, upheaval, and is fraught with problems needing to be solved. While there are ways to reduce the stress by getting good guidance from the right professionals and choosing divorce...
Good People in Family Law
I have been on a mission to inform the world that there is a better way for couples to divorce than hiring attorneys and litigating through the Family Courts. I think most spouses are capable of working together with a divorce mediator to get fully educated on the...
Divorce, Rising Interest Rates and the Family Home
Since I started mediating divorces in 2003 there have been a variety of housing trends over the years that have impacted dealing with houses in the divorces that I have handled. House values have skyrocketed then plummeted. Interest rates have fluctuated. ...
Divorce Attorneys and Therapists Should Be Sharing a Cup of Coffee More Often
There was a time years ago when the San Diego chapter of CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists) and the San Diego County Bar Association paired up to have a monthly attorney/therapist interface luncheon. There would be a speaker that would...
My Journey to A Healthy Divorce
My name is Barney Connaughton, Divorce Mediator and owner of A Healthy Divorce located in Chula Vista. I went to law school because I wanted to become a lawyer to help solve the problems of the world and make it a better place. I originally envisioned environmental...
Happy Mediation Awareness Week!
If you are reading this announcement you have just been made aware of one of the best kept secrets in the world of Divorce, the option to mediate. We have been conditioned to pick up the phone and call a Divorce Attorney when there is a breakdown in our marriages to...
How Divorce Mediation Can Keep You Out of the Backlogged Court System After COVID-19
With COVID-19 making life uncertain, it can help to find ways to stay out of the backlogged court system. If you and your ex are trying to work through a divorce, or you are trying to settle a custody modification, mediation is the answer. When you work with a...
The Family Courts are Opening. Ready, Set, Go?
We live in a world where information changes by the minute and it now appears we have an opening day for the Courts! On May 26, 2020, after nearly 11 weeks of closure, the Court will be back open for more than just emergency orders. The clerk's office has indicated...
5 Essential Skills to Look for in a Good Divorce Mediator
Take control of your divorce and make the decision to mediate. You and your spouse will govern the decision making process to avoid the costly, stressful, and unbelievably backlogged Court system. How refreshing will it feel to know that you will be moving onto the...