As I sit around watching the hours and hours and hours of programming leading up to the Super Bowl, I hear the talking heads speak of the importance of teamwork (especially defensive teamwork) and the “stars” of the game, the quarterback and his runners and receivers. And then there were the segments on the coaches and how important they are to the play calling.

So, is the Collaborative Process the Super Bowl of Divorce?

In litigation, the only participant that really counts is the lawyer. Can he or she convince the judge that the plays they are calling will result in a score. The lawyer calls the play and hopefully the experts and clients execute. And in this game, the referee makes all of the decisions. While many think that referees often control too much of the outcome, you can never imagine a game where the referee decides who played the best and who wins. The score doesn’t matter.

In the Collaborative Process, the ones calling the plays (making the decisions) are the clients. They have studied films (education provided by professionals) and decided what they hope to achieve in the game. But as the coaches calling the plays, they don’t get the chance to execute their goals, interests and desires. They must rely on the players (the professionals) to take them to their goal, a touchdown or in some cases, just a field goal. Unlike in football, the hope is that the game ends in a tie. Both sides get as much of their goals and interests met!

This is how the game should be played. Only in the Collaborative Process do the clients decide their and their family’s future. It is the only process where they maintain control.

The Collaborative Process is the Super Bowl of Divorce. If you are not Collaboratively trained, now is the time to join the journey to the Super Bowl. CLICK HERE to get more information on our upcoming Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Training.