The Annual State Conference of the New Jersey Council of Collaborative Practice Groups was held May 4, 2016, at the Forsgate Country Club, in Monroe, New Jersey. Collaborative Practice Group Members as well as those supportive of the collaborative divorce process attended in strong numbers.
Bill Eddy, LSCW, Esq. therapist, attorney, mediator, renowned writer and speaker presented “Client Engagement: Skills for Collaborative Practice” and offered the audience an insightful description and understanding of the interaction of clients in high conflict between themselves and with professionals. Couples struggling in high conflict require more skilled and varied techniques from the professionals that work with them than clients dealing with more typical conflicts. Those with higher conflict responses benefit from working with Collaborative Divorce Professionals skilled in empathy who can assist them in making productive proposals and help them achieve a respectful dissolution of their marriage.
Mr. Eddy described the general characteristics of high conflict interaction and methods to best assist monitoring and moderating behavior to reach goals that are important for divorcing couples and their families. Attendees engaged in this advanced training via lecture, videos, exercises and discussion.
Collaborative Professionals of practice groups participating in the New Jersey Council of Collaborative Practice Groups are committed to continuous ongoing education and deepening their skills to best serve the separating and divorcing couples. We understand that divorce is distressful for families and we are committed to ameliorating the experience of that transition in the most respectful way possible.
Sharon Klempner, MSW, LCSW, BCD
Member of the Annual Committee Event and CDANJ