divorce and separation

Date of Separation in Ontario: What is it and why does it matter?

The date of separation is not just about emotional closure; it has legal consequences that can shape the course of your divorce journey. When it comes to untangling the threads of a relationship in Ontario, the date of separation holds significant sway. It's not just a marker of emotional closure; it's a legal milestone that can shape the course of your divorce journey. So, let's delve into the specifics of why this date matters.

Do I Tell My Children About My Ex's Affair?

Divorce is hard enough, but when infidelity is involved, the emotional toll on both spouses and their children can be exponentially higher.

Sharing House Bills With Your Ex

In many cases, the traditional 50-50 split of household bills may not be equitable or sustainable, especially when there are disparities in income.

The Dangers of Putting Your Ex Down in Front of Children

Separation and divorce can be emotionally charged, leading some individuals to express their frustrations by putting their ex-spouse down, especially in front of their children. However, this harmful behavior can have lasting negative consequences for both the children and the co-parenting relationship. In this blog, we will explore the dangers of speaking negatively about one's ex-partner in front of children and highlight the importance of fostering a healthy co-parenting dynamic during and after separation.

The Bitterness of Divorce: Toxic for Mental Health and Children's Well-being

Divorce is a challenging life event that can evoke a range of emotions, from sadness and disappointment to anger and resentment. It's not uncommon for bitterness to permeate the process, especially when conflicts and disagreements are at the forefront. However, it is crucial to recognize the detrimental effects that bitterness in divorce can have on mental health, both for the individuals going through it and for their children. In this blog, we'll explore the toxic nature of bitterness during divorce and shed light on its impact on the well-being of everyone involved.

Co-parenting with Someone of a Different Faith

Divorce is never easy, especially when parents have different faiths. However, it’s important to remember that your children’s well-being should always be the top priority. Here are some tips for co-parenting when parents divorce and have different faiths.

Pets in Divorce

Divorce can be a challenging and emotionally draining process, especially when children and pets are involved. Sharing a pet in divorce with children can be particularly difficult, as pets can be an important source of comfort and stability for children during this time. Here are some tips to help navigate sharing a pet in divorce with children.

Lower the Cost of Divorce: What to Tell Your Family Lawyer

Going through a divorce can be a stressful and emotional experience. Here are some tips on what you can tell your family lawyer during the divorce process to keep the conflict and cost low.

How to Move Past the Hurt of Divorce

Divorce can be a painful and challenging experience, and it is normal to feel hurt, angry, or confused after it. However, with time and effort, you can move past the hurt and start to rebuild your life. In this article we provide some key tips to help you move past the hurt of divorce.

Mediation: Know Your Options

Mediation has become very popular because it’s less expensive, more efficient and less antagonistic than the court system. Our team has diverse backgrounds and experience in mental health and family law. We will work with you individually or as a team, and will attend all sessions, review your documents, provide guidance, and help generate options for the best-possible outcome for your family.

Dating After Divorce

Divorce can be a challenging and emotional experience, and dating after divorce can seem daunting. However, it's important to remember that everyone's journey is different, and there is no right or wrong way to approach dating after divorce. In this article, we provide some key tips to help you navigate the dating world post divorce.

Setting Boundaries with Your Ex

Setting boundaries with an ex-partner can be challenging, but it's crucial for moving on and maintaining your emotional well-being. Whether you're co-parenting or just trying to establish healthy post-relationship boundaries, here are some tips to help you set boundaries with your ex.

How to Take Care of Yourself During Divorce

Divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotional events in a person's life. It can take a toll on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It's important to take care of yourself during this difficult time to help you get through the process and move forward. There are some key strategies that can help you get through this difficult time, and we outline them in this article.

Tips on How to Live Separately in the Same Home

Being separated and living under the same roof can work if both parties are willing to communicate, establish boundaries, and show respect towards one another. In this blog, we will discuss some tips on how to live under the same roof while separated.

How to Tell Your Children About Divorce

As a parent, telling your child about the divorce can be one of the hardest conversations you'll ever have. You may worry about how they will react, whether they will feel hurt or angry, or if they will blame themselves for the separation. However, it's important to approach this conversation with sensitivity, honesty, and empathy.

Spousal Support: Who Pays and How Much?

Spousal support is a payment from one spouse to the other. First, a spouse would have to be entitled to receive spousal support. Then, you need to decide on the amount (how much) and for how long (duration). Spousal Support is one of the the most subjective areas of family law. No one can guarantee you an amount.The Spousal Support Guidelines don’t determine whether one spouse is entitled to spousal support or not. They are, however, heavily relied on when calculating the amount and duration of the support.

“Zealous Advocacy” can Kill: Another Child Lost a Parent to Suicide

Compelling research has long-established the irreparable damage of going to court. No one ever wins! And, no amount of court “wins” will ever compensate for the damage to families’ relationships, emotional, financial and mental health. And, yet, many family lawyers push clients into the direction of court.

Separation and Children's Transitions Between Homes

When a family separates, one of the biggest adjustments is having the children transition between homes. The following are tips and resources from some of the leading child-psychologists on how to help children feel comfortable with having two places to call home.

How Divorce Affects Your Business

When a married couple separates in Ontario, they must disclose to each other the property they accumulated during the marriage. If you own a business or you're self-employed, there are extra steps you need to take in order to prepare.

Emotions Are Key in Separation

Not all legal decisions are based on law. Some are based on emotions. Emotions are key to human functioning and decision-making; they are the main ingredient in formulating and driving individual facts. In divorce or separation, it is these facts that matter most; and, they are not the same as legal rules or evidence.

Framing Mediation: Family-Centricity or Lawyer Protectionism?

The push for litigating divorce contributes to stonewalling the development of fundamental problem-solving skill-sets as well as the removing and stripping away critical elements that individuals need to resolve conflict in a healthier manner.

Can I do my own Separation Agreement?

Trust me: I am one of the loudest proponents of DIY, but when it comes to writing your separation own agreement, I strongly suggest you don’t!We say this all the time: “this is probably your first divorce, but for us, the number is in the thousands!” This is not to minimize your experience – divorce is hard and it has huge implications emotionally, socially and financially. With so much going on, it is understandable that you want to save time and money, and there are ways to do just that! However, writing your own separation agreement is not one of those ways! In fact, it can have the opposite effect by becoming a costly production and exposing you to potential challenges.

What’s the difference between Mediation and Litigation?

What is the difference between divorce mediation and divorce litigation, a.k.a. going to court? The difference are many and include implications with cost, time, privacy, control, resolution, and more. In this article, we break down the differences for you.

I’m ready to divorce. Now what? Four things you need to know before you hit GO

Separating is not a walk in the park. It’s more like trekking to Everest Base Camp. It takes time, physical and mental exertion and a great deal of resolve. The closer you get, the tougher it becomes and the risk of running out of oxygen increases. You need all the strategic support you can get! In the words of a Sherpa guide to Everest: “Without a Sherpa, there is no expedition.” Enough with analogies! In reality, divorce may be harder than climbing Everest! Below, you will find a list of things that should help you plan ahead. Think of this as your divorce or separation sherpa.

How to Keep Your Divorce Private

Divorce can happen to anyone, regardless of ethnicity, gender or social class. While we try to keep it as private as possible, if you are a public figure, social influencer or community leader, divorce can be quite a public event. When you engage in mediation, the details of your divorce are private and remain private. You have the same opportunities to go through full financial disclosure, business valuations and discuss relevant details of your co-parenting relationship. The big difference is that, in contrast to court which is public, mediation is a private process where the information exchanged is privileged and confidential. This also allows couples to speak freely and focus on the issues at hand without the fear of private becoming public.

How to Handle Divorce During Holidays

Brrrr…. separating during this already cold and dark season makes for an extra gloomy winter affair. It can quickly become a slippery slope into depression or unhealthy routines such as over-eating, over-drinking or self-medicating.

Divorcing but Still Under the Same Roof

Oftentimes, living together in the family home during divorce is a financial necessity. Many families experience this situation known as “nesting”. Let’s face it, you worked hard your entire married lives to secure a home for you and your children. Divorce was never part of the plan. Nonetheless, the divorce is happening. And when it “hits”, it hits hard, and it doesn’t just hit you emotionally. It hits your biggest asset which is, in most cases, your home!

Grey Divorces: When Parents of Adult Children Divorce

Divorce in later life after decades of marriage often has more impact on adult children than children whose parents divorced earlier in their lives. The following tips can help address and alleviate the associated stresses the burden of grey divorce can have on adult children.

Is Mediation “Legally Binding”?

Agreements reached at mediation are legally binding. A separation agreement ensures that you are both, well, in agreement when it comes to the care of children, financial support and how to divide your accounts or other property when you separate.The separation agreement is a contract just like any other contract. Once it has been signed by the partners and witnessed, it becomes an “enforceable” or “legally binding” contract.A verbal agreement is just that, a verbal agreement and is very difficult to enforce if any problems should arise between you and your former partner.

My lawyer told me not to mediate. After $67,000 in legal fees and 3 years in court, I’m broken.

When they decided to separate, Lucy and her husband wanted to go through mediation. But her lawyer told her it’s a “waste of time and money”.

Family Court: Well-known Judge Tells You What You Need to Know, Before You Head that Way.

Family Court Judge, Harvey Brownstone, warns families about going to court. Ask anyone who has ever appeared in family court as a litigant – even if they had a lawyer – and they are almost certain to describe their experience as unsatisfactory. Why? What can be done to help people so that their family court experience is more predictable, more positive and constructive, less time-consuming, and consequently more beneficial to themselves and their children? An even more important question is, What can be done to help people avoid going to court in the first place?