Collaborative Practice Group Membership
Collaborative Divorce Professionals of Roanoke
Southwest Virginia Collaborative Divorce Professionals
Collaborative Services
I practice both litigation and collaborative practice in Family Law. I see significant advantages for collaboration in most divorce cases. Collaboration allows families to control the decisions they make for their families in a setting that reduces the stress that is common in divorce. Collaboration offers an alternative that provides people with a way to deal with the emotional aspects of divorce in a way that increases the prospect that they will be in a better place at the end of the divorce than they were in at the beginning of that process.
Professional Activities
PRIOR:
Chairman, Collaborative Divorce Professionals of Roanoke
State Council Representative, Virginia Collaborative Professionals
Collaborative Practice Training
| Year | Course Title | Instructor | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic/ Introductory Collaborative Law or Interdisciplinary Collaborative Team Training. | |||
| 2005 | Basic Collaborative Law Training | Janis Pritchard & R. Bradley Hunter | 13 |
| 30-Hr Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation Skills | |||
| 2010 | Interest Based Negotiation & Mediation Skills for Collaborartive Professionals | CPTI | 30 |
| Additional 15 hours Intermediate/ Advanced interest-based negotiation, communication skills, collaborative, or basic professional coach training | |||
| 2012 | Updates on Collaborative Protocols | Smollar, White, Butler | 1.5 |
| 2012 | Roadblocks to Financial Resolutions in Collaborative Cases | May, Robson, Broussard | 1 |
| 2012 | Mars & Venus in Collaboration: Gender Based Communication Styles (10/4/12) | Maurice Fisher & Angie Stroop | .75 |
| 2012 | Jumpstarting our Collaborative Practice | Fauss, Jones and Smith | 4.5 |
| 2012 | Impact of Team Dynamics on Collaborative Case Process & Outcome (2/2/12) | Maurice Fisher & Susan Witt | .75 |
| 2011 | The Healing Power of Collaboration | CPR: Susan Witt & Maurice Fisher | .75 |
| 2011 | Spotting When the Heat is on: Nonverbal Language of Conflict (8/4/11) | Chris Seaton | 2 |
| 2011 | Preventing Real Property Pitfalls in Divorce (4th VaCP) | Kelly Lise Murray | 2 |
| 2011 | Navigating Emotional Currents: Delving Beneath the Surface of the Collaborative Process (4th CP) | CPTI: Lisa Herrick & Kate Scharff | 3 |
| 2011 | Financial Neutral Client Interview (5/5/11) | CPR | .75 |
| 2011 | Collaborative Readings | CPR: Tom Walk | .75 |
| Annual 4 hours collaborative continuing education (basic, intermediate, or advanced) | |||
| 2023 | Navigating the Practice of Collaboration in a post-pandemic world | CDPR: Susan Witt, LCSW faciltator | .75 |
| 2023 | Busting Open Toolboes: Next Level Preparation for You and Your Clients For Success in Collaborative Divorce (or Meidation, Negotiation or Litigation) | CDPR Retreat: Jen Uschold | 4.5 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Steps to Take Once the Financial and Parenting issues are Resolved | CDPR: Cheryl Watson Smith, JD | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Roles and Duties of Each Professional on the Team | CDPR: Tom Walk, JD, Cathleen Rae, PhD, David Cawley, CPA, CDFA & Heather Clifft, LPC | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Professional Team Organization, Conduct and Process | CDPR: Lori Thompson, JD | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Issues Regarding Termination and Withdrawal from the Collaborative Process | CDPR: Heather Clifft, LPC | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: How to Start the Collaborative Process | CDPR: Cheryl Watson Smith, JD, Heather Clifft, LPC & Robin Hill, JD, CFP®, CDFA | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: How to Manage Challenges with Parties & How to Manage Challenges with Other Team Members | CDPR Retreat: Cathy Rae, PhD | - |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Financial Issues: Gathering Information, Option Development, Evaluation, and Resolution | CDPR: Robyn E. Hill, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Christina Todd, CFP®, CDFA® | .5 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: Collaborative Process Structure | CDPR: Lori Thompson, JD | 1 |
| 2021 | DC Metro Protocols: The Initial Team Meeting | CDPR Retreat: I was presenter | .75 |
| 2020 | Overcoming Resistance to Collaborative Practice | CDPR: Cheryl Watson Smith, JD | 1 |
| 2020 | Internal Family Systems: A Paradigm Awakening | CDPR: Heather Clifft, LPC and Cheryl Watson Smith, JD | 1 |
| 2020 | Empathy, Vulnerability & Equilibrium | CDPR: Facilitators - Cheryl Watson Smith, JD & Lisa Teegarden-Cabay, PhD | 2.5 |
| 2019 | Research Informed Parenting Plans | CDPR: Heather Cliffft | 1.5 |
| 2019 | Promoting Your Collaborative Practice | CDPR: Joryn Jenkins, JD | 1 |
| 2019 | Exploring Our Own Invisible Suitcases by Digging Deeper Through Art Therapy | CDPR: Heather Clifft, LPC & Susan Witt, LCSW | 1 |
| 2018 | Parenting Plans: More Than Dates on a Calendar | Sanford Cassel, Hon. Frank W. Rogers, III, Kristen Konrad Johnstone, Cheryl Watson Smith & Thomas P. Walk | 3.5 |
| 2017 | Creating the Conditions for Growth As We Help Our Clients Navigate Separation and Divorce | Lisa Herrick and Kate Scharff | 6 |
| 2016 | Sharing Information Prior to the Execution of the Collaborative Participation Agreement | Susan Witt, Tom Walk, David Nixon, Cheryl Smith | 1 |
| 2016 | Learning from the Masters | Tom Walk, JD | 1 |
| 2016 | Getting Started with Your First Case, Connecting with Practice Group and Practice Protocols | David Nixon | 1 |
| 2016 | From Me to We The Paradigm Shift in Collaborative Practice | Susan Witt, Tom Walk | 1 |
| 2015 | Mortgage Refinancing in a Divorce Context | Margie Hofberg | .5 |
| 2015 | Explaining Process Options: Litigation - Mediation - Collaboration | David Nixon | 1 |
| 2015 | Effectively Using Visual Aids in Collaboration | Tom Walk | 1 |
| 2015 | Decision Support in Negotiations: The Power of Team Alignment (Attitudes and Aptitudes) | Kimberly Fauss | 3 |
| 2015 | Cooperative Divorce Process v. Collaborative Divorce Process | David Nixon | 1 |
| 2014 | Understanding Attachment Styles and Its Application in Collaborative Divorce | Yuval Berger, MSW RSW and Lisa Alexander, B.A. LL. B. | 6 |
| 2014 | Retreat - Collaborative Practice Development Workshop | Susan Witt | 2 |
| 2014 | Personality Disorders & Impact on the Collaborative Process | Kathleen Bagby | 1 |
| 2014 | Impact of Culture on Negotiation | Jayne Doherty, PhD and Marshall Yoder, JD | 2 |
| 2014 | Growing our Practices by Figuring out What we Want | Tom Walk | 1 |
| 2014 | Follow-up from the Retreat - Collaborative Practice Development | Smith, Cheryl | 1 |
| 2014 | Essential Ingredients in building Trust and Rapport with Collaborative Clients. | Susan Witt | 1 |
| 2014 | Emotional Aspects of a Difficult Collaborative Case | David Nixon, Susan Witt and Jennings Bird | 1 |
| 2014 | Continuation of Retreat - Collaborative Practice Development | David Nixon | 1 |
| 2014 | Breaking Down Barriers to Support | David Nixon, Cheryl Smith | 1 |
| 2013 | Thx 4 V Mmres – Dealing With Digital Communication (and Communicators) in a Collaborative Divorce | Walk, Tom | .75 |
| 2013 | Thinking Outside the Box, Collaboratively | Williams, Pamela | .75 |
| 2013 | SELLING COLLABORATION TO OUR CLIENTS | David Nixon | .75 |
| 2013 | Organizing Collaborative Professional Teams & Working Effectively | Smith, Cheryl | .75 |
| 2013 | Navigating EmotionaI Currents in Collaborative Divorce | Witt, Susan and Maurice Fisher | 4 |
| 2013 | Follow Up to Bedford Jumpstart Program: Jumpstarting your collaborative practice | Smith, Cheryl | .75 |
| 2013 | Breaking Down Barriers to Support: How a Collaborative Team Can Inspire New Thinking | CPTI | 6 |
| 2012 | Talking about Collaborative Practice (8/2/12) | CPR - Tom Walk, Jr | .75 |
| 2012 | Maximizing the Value of Mental Health Professionals in Collaborative Cases (9/6/12) | CPR - Susan Witt, Tom Walk, Jr. & Cheryl Smith | .75 |
| 2012 | Maximizing the Benefits of the Financial Neutral (4/5/12) | Adam Morgan & Pamela Williams | .75 |
| 2012 | Disadvantages of Collaborative Divorce Process | CPR: Tom Walk, Jr. | .75 |
| 2012 | Challenges in the Collaborative Process | Cogan, Vaughn-Eden, Dolan | 2 |
| 2008 | Interdisciplinary Collaborative Team Training | CDTT | 20 |