Blog
4/2/23
If You’re Struggling to Connect with Your Teen, Try This Unique ApproachIt is extremely common to struggle to connect with our teenage children. It seems as if suddenly, your child is a stranger. What happened to that sweet child you knew so well? Having raised two teens, I know all too well what that’s like. It is true that teens fiercely want more independence and the freedom to do things their own way. But the reality...Read More3/5/23
New Jersey Court Crisis Can Be Unique Opportunity to Settle Your Divorce Case and Save You Time and MoneyAccording to a Therefore, there will be no civil or family court trials held in Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties at this time. The New Jersey courts are prioritizing criminal and juvenile delinquency matters, where an individual’s liberty is at stake, and potential emergencies like domestic violence cases. According to the press release, there are 69 judge vacancies throughout the New...Read More1/29/23
How To Decide if Divorce is Right for You and How To Keep Things Amicable in a New Jersey DivorceWhen a potential client comes to me for a consultation to find out what divorce entails, we will talk about what’s been happening and why they are considering divorce at this time. We will talk about your most pressing concerns and what outcome you most want to achieve. If you are clearly struggling with deciding whether or not to divorce, we might talk about whether...Read More1/1/23
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Relationships with Friends, Family and Romantic PartnersRelationships matter. In fact, they are essential to our very survival. As a family lawyer and conflict resolution strategist, I have a regular front row seat to what appears to be hopeless disconnection – and I help people gain a greater understanding of each other’s perspectives and a sense of cooperation when they ultimately reach agreements about their children and financial futures. Close personal...Read More12/3/22
Three Powerful Ways to Manage Your Emotions When Conversations Get HeatedIf you’re in the midst of divorce – or any conflict for that matter – you can learn how to immediately calm your emotions when things get heated. When you do, you’ll be able to think clearly and rationally with solutions that work best. As humans, we all have that automatic knee-jerk emotional reaction when a conversation suddenly turns heated. Our brains are biologically hardwired...Read More10/31/22
Options for Divorcing Spouses with Growing Backlog of New Jersey Divorce CasesThe latest annual report issued by the New Jersey judiciary for the year ending June 30, 2021 shows a growing backlog of divorce cases amidst a historic statewide judge shortage. According to the acting administrative director of the New Jersey courts, the pandemic has permanently changed the New Jersey court system and New Jersey courts must continue to evolve if they are to effectively serve...Read More9/22/22
A Direct Path from Conflict to Deeper Relationship ConnectionsIf happens to all of us. One minute you’re having a typical conversation with someone you care about – your spouse, son or daughter, friend, or co-worker, and then suddenly your emotions start to escalate. What you do our say next can either hurt the relationship or can actually bring you closer. As a family law attorney for 25 years, I know that communication is...Read More8/12/22
Five Concrete Actions to Help Reach Agreement with Your Spouse for an Amicable DivorceEven before the pandemic and resulting historic state-wide New Jersey court crisis, divorcing spouses could expect to save time, money, and aggravation by reaching out of court divorce agreements. But when the pandemic forced courthouses to close for most in-person trials for over a year while putting judge nominations on the back burner, the number of judge shortages has reached a catastrophic level as case...Read More7/22/22
What the Current New Jersey Court Crisis Means for Divorcing SpousesOn the heels of the global pandemic, there is now a historic state-wide New Jersey court crisis – not just in family court, but in the civil, criminal, and other divisions as well. When the pandemic hit, buildings were closed to most in-person trials for more than a year. At the same time, the pandemic took the focus off nominating judges and the number of...Read More6/28/22
How We Get in Our Own Way When Intimate Relationships Suffer and What We Can Do to Better ConnectIt is a universal human experience to have doubts about ourselves, to feel self-conscious, to compare ourselves to others, and to avoid feeling rejected. But all our focus on being good enough can easily get in the way of connecting with others. When we perceive criticism, for instance, we can feel threatened and become defensive. We then can harshly judge others or even avoid relationships...Read More