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Published: February 12 2013

WEST PALM BEACH, FL- We are supposed to think of Valentine's Day as a day of romance for couples who are deeply in love, marked with chocolate, roses and candlelit dinners. But what happens to those on Valentine's Day when the romance has already ended?  For many, this holiday is especially challenging. They are part of a couple who were once in love, but for a variety of reasons are no longer so, and seek to end their marriage. Over the past few years, there has been an average increase of about 40% in the number of requests of divorce lawyers during this holiday*. Divorces can often become emotionally and financially draining, not only for the couples involved but for their children and other family members as well. Most often in divorces two lawyers represent each party in the divorce and try to vilify the other party and seek the maximum amount of assets. Unfortunately, this does not wind up in the best interests of either party, or their loved ones.

Across the nation this process is slowly changing with the introduction of "Collaborative Divorces." This new movement emphasizes cooperation rather than vilification, and common sense asset separation, so that each party gets what is in his or her best interests and ultimately the best interests of their families. The couple undergoing divorce does not seek two separate lawyers; instead they utilize a single team of lawyers, financial planners, realtors, and therapists to determine what each party truly needs. The children are also taken into account and counseling is a part of the process. Both the parents and the children see results without the vilification of family members. This process can also end up being less expensive than traditional divorce because couples do not need two separate groups of professionals.

According to Carlan M. Robinson, Ph.D. and Published Author, "In a traditional divorce, if you have an orange it gets split in two. With collaborative divorce it can be determined which parts of the orange are best for each party, a husband might need the orange peel, and the wife might need the inside of the orange. They both leave the marriage with what is best for them. The children get to witness to adults making a deal that is best for them and the children, rather than two adults who act like children. Dr. Robinson is the Author of "Breaking up? Moving On..." and is a resident of Palm Beach County.

There is a Collaborative Divorce group that operates here in Palm Beach County. Those who are thinking about a traditional divorce are urged to contact the Collaborative Divorce Team to learn how this system can take the bitterness out of divorce so each party can begin a new life and hopefully find someone with whom they can truly celebrate Valentine's Day with.

www.collaborativedivorceteam.com