The last 15-18 months has been an extremely difficult period of time. COVID-19 seemed to come into our community with no warning and put a halt to normal life. Many kids stopped going to school and had to adjust to online learning and many adults began working from home. In many ways time seemed to stand still. Our normal cues for marking time vanished — days, weeks and months passed
As we all adjust to life during the pandemic, changes are all around us. While some things are starting to get back to the old normal, it is a good time to assess which things you adapted to that you might want to continue. For many of us, working from home was a huge adjustment, but allowed for greater flexibility, time with family, less travel time and less money on things like gas and eating out.
When most of us think of divorce, we think of courtrooms, a judge and two lawyers battling it out for custody and family heirlooms. In reality, however, divorce can be handled more calmly without that additional conflict. Divorce mediation allows you to settle all the terms of your divorce – including child custody, division of property and spousal maintenance – without a court battle. In fact, the Minnesota courts actually encourage all couples seeking divorce in our state to try mediation before litigation. This may leave you wondering whether you should give it a try.
Whether you have been thinking about divorce for weeks, months or even years, moving forward with the divorce process can be jolting and unexpectedly stressful. Here are some important things to keep in mind before you begin the process:
1. It is normal to feel many emotions: Even if you are the one initiating the divorce, it is normal to feel sadness, anger, frustration, loss and anxiety
COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down in many ways. Many of us have been working from home for more than a year, some of our kids have not gone to in-person school since last March, and masks have become everyone’s new accessory. COVID-19 has also disrupted child custody cases all over the country, including in Minnesota. Now that we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, you may be ready to get back into your
The safety of clients, ourselves, and colleagues is our top priority while we remain available to assist you as you navigate the new and uncharted territory caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
While providing virtual ADR services was not part of our plan, we have made the necessary accommodations to ensure we can continue to serve our clients during these unsettling times. All services are currently available through virtually. We are using Zoom for videoconferencing. We suggest that you download this app to your phone or the program to your computer at https://zoom.us/download.
We have resumed limited in-person services for sessions with 1 or 2 participants scheduled for a maximum of 2 hours. Masks are required in our building and in session. Availability is subject to change based on local regulations and CDC guidelines.
Our office hours remain the same and we remain available by phone and email. The main office number is 952.252.1492. Gabe can be reached via email at gabe@amsmediationplus.com.
We offer free 1-hour divorce consultations via Zoom. Potential PC and PTE clients are invited to schedule a free 15-minute phone call. Please call 952.252.1492 to set up an appointment. We are here to help!
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all continue to adapt to these rapidly changing and chaotic times. Stay strong, stay resilient, and stay healthy!
Sincerely,
Amber Serwat & Gabe Frye
ADR Professional & ADR Assistant
