Every parent going through a divorce worries about the same thing: how it will affect the kids. Decades of research point to a reassuring and actionable answer: what damages children most isn't the divorce itself, but the conflict surrounding it. That single insight is the heart of Cooperative Family Law.
Conflict Is the Real Risk
Children are remarkably resilient when the adults around them stay civil. It's ongoing, visible conflict (arguments, court battles, being put in the middle) that takes the heaviest toll. A process designed to minimize that conflict is, by design, a process that protects children.
How the Cooperative Process Helps
- It keeps parents out of adversarial court hearings, removing a major source of conflict.
- It focuses energy on building a workable parenting plan, not winning a fight.
- It models cooperation, showing children their parents can still solve problems together.
- It resolves matters faster, shortening the period of uncertainty kids feel most.
Experience That Centers Kids
Two credentials shape how we protect children. Ashley Hurlbert is a Certified Guardian ad Litem, appointed by courts to represent children's best interests. Misty Gaubatz has completed ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) training, which informs how we reduce the lasting impact of family stress on kids. Together, that keeps the focus where it belongs.
A Plan That Grows With Them
The best parenting plans are specific enough to prevent disputes but flexible enough to adapt as children grow. We help parents strike that balance, so the plan keeps working for years, and so kids get the stability they need to thrive after divorce.