I am excited to announce that my new book “Untangling Together: A Healthy Divorce Guide and Workbook, California Edition” has been published and is now available on Amazon. I had been toying with the idea of writing this book over the past several years and have finally gotten around to getting it done. So this week I take a break from writing about the familiar intersection of my life, my career and divorce, and take a little time to share about this book I have put together in the hope that maybe I will convince you to buy it and have it as a resource for yourself and for those you come into contact with to make the process of divorce a little more healthy and holistic.
What is “Untangling Together?” I have written this book to share with the world what I perceive to be the way we as a society should be approaching divorce; not as a battle to be fought, but as a problem to be solved. The simple formula is to provide emotional guidance to place couples in a place and a mindset where they are able to make thoughtful decisions, educate them so they can make informed decisions, assure they have all the data and documents they need so they can make well calculated and grounded and to acquaint them with, and have at their disposal, all the necessary support they need to work through and resolve their issues.
Calm and Reassure. I begin by seeking to calm and reassure the Reader. Divorce can overwhelm and turn one’s life upside down. This book seeks to empathize with the Reader and assure that these feelings are normal and okay, but with the right approach to their divorce, they are only temporary.
Laying out the Options. I next apprise the Reader of their options for choosing their best path forward, considering their personal goals and any obstacles in their way. I stress fairness, generosity, patience, and a holistic approach to divorce for the greater good of the family while also practically recognizing the challenges that might stand in the way.
Simplifying. It next tackles simplifying the divorce process; breaking it down into clear, understandable, and manageable tasks.
Empowering through Education. I then set out to empower the Reader through education, providing a detailed overview of how the Court applies the law as it relates to the issues in their matter. There is a lot of legal ground to cover and I have sought to provide a very detailed overview of the applicable law while keeping it manageable and relatively easy to understand. This was no small task and I hope you will find that it successfully accomplishes this important function.
Full Exchange of Information. I explain the Court’s strict disclosure requirements and advocate for complete exchange of information/documents between the parties to provide a level playing field for their negotiations for support and the division of assets.
Traditional and Creative Options. I explore a wide variety of options for couples to consider in sorting out their matter. I encourage the Reader to consider traditional solutions as well as exploring individualized, creative options to craft a global settlement to their divorce. This book is a guide that seeks to take a realistic approach to both creative and law-driven solutions. It also functions as a reality check for any unreasonable expectations held by the reader.
Nuts and Bolts. I explain the nuts and bolts stuff. This includes a summary of the forms needed to accomplish the formalization of everything, and the filing and service of those forms, including the initial paperwork, disclosure forms, and the Marital Settlement Agreement and Judgment forms.
Organization and Wealth of Resources. I take some time at the end to include a broad range of resources; templates to help with crafting child sharing schedules; a worksheet to capture and organize all the issues to be addressed; input and guidance about other professionals who might be enlisted to provide couples with the best support available; checklists and places to take notes to organize and make the best use of the information provided.
Oh yes, and Illustrations. To wrap it all up into a nice little package, I employed the talents of my daughter, Allie, to spruce up the pages with some simple, but exquisite, artwork. It is all to go with the very intentional approach bringing calm and centeredness to a painful and challenging task. I think you will agree that she added just the right touch. Here contribution is a breath of fresh air.
See for yourself. I am proud of what I have put together. I genuinely believe that it is a unique and important book. I wish I would have had it as a resource for the clients I worked with over the past 30 years. I hope you give it a look and see if it might be a resource for you and your clients. Feel free to give me constructive criticism if it falls short.
May it foster calm, reassurance and confidence, provide clarity about options, simplify things, empower through education, guide to full disclosure, inspire creativity in the fashioning of solutions, provide support as work is done through the formalities, increase awareness in available resources and help couples get organized and comfortable while moving forward with these important decisions.
You can get your copy at: https://a.co/d/28LovUZ