The start of a new year brings more than fresh calendars and full inboxes. It brings a powerful opportunity to reset how we show up for our clients and for one another in the Collaborative community.

If your goal this year is to grow your Collaborative caseload, the most important place to begin isn’t your website, your bio, or your marketing plan.                                                           

It’s your mindset.

Collaborative matters don’t come from tactics alone. They come from intention, clarity, and alignment with the values that drew you to this work in the first place.

Many professionals quietly hope they’ll get more Collaborative matters this year.

Hope is passive. Intention is strategic. Set a clear intention such as, intending to make Collaborative your default recommendation, or maybe you intend to educate every appropriate client about Collaborative. You can also choose to intend to deepen your relationships within my local Collaborative community.

Write your intention down. Revisit it monthly. Let it guide your decisions from how you speak with potential clients to how you invest your time.

Families don’t walk into our offices asking for a Collaborative process. Potential clients walk in asking for relief, safety, control, and clarity.

This year, focus on becoming the professional who confidently guides families to better options rather than presenting Collaborative as just one more checkbox. That means leading with education, not persuasion. Speaking about Collaborative with certainty not apology and framing it as a proactive solution not a fallback when litigation feels scary.

People trust leaders who sound like they know the path forward. Align your message with your values. When your message is grounded in empathy and purpose, families feel it. When families feel understood, they choose differently.

Instead of only tracking numbers, start tracking behaviors. How often did I discuss Collaborative this month? How many Collaborative professionals did I reconnect with? How many educational conversations did I initiate? Growth follows consistency, not perfection.

The Collaborative process exists because families deserve better. They deserve solutions rooted in respect, compassion, and choice. This year, don’t wait for more Collaborative matters. Create the mindset, language, relationships, and intention that invite them in.

Here’s to a year of clarity, connection, and meaningful work together.