by Andrew May, Law Offices of Andrew May PLLC

In any relationship, even a healthy one, good communication can be hard work. We may have different communication styles from our partners. One of us may think out loud while the other is more withdrawn. If you’re now considering a divorce, it may be that communication has largely broken down, and neither of you has much expectation that it will improve. And that may well be true.

But then the question becomes, despite your difficulties, is there a way for you to communicate effectively about your divorce? Can you communicate well enough to negotiate and resolve your differences and plan for your family’s future?

Is there a possibility that the two of you can still work together as co-parents, for example? Can you share information and insights, whether about your children’s futures or your own? Can you work together to ensure that both of you are heard? If those seem like real possibilities for you, the right collaborative team can help you do the hard work to get there.

What does that work look like? At the risk of oversimplifying, I’d say it looks like a good, ongoing conversation. Not an easy one, by any means. But probably one of the most important conversations you will ever have, if you can bring yourself to have it.

For more information on communication and the collaborative process, please see our resource list here.