From the Book: Divorce Amicably
This is a chapter summary from Chapter 6 of  Divorce Amicably, a guide to navigating separation with dignity and cooperation.
Chapter 39 Author: Holly Schymik
Holly Schymik assists clients in making significant life changes such as divorce or adoption. She has extensive training in both collaborative law and mediation and focuses on creating cost-effective solutions to legal issues.
Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1999, Holly has more than100 hours of training in both collaborative law and mediation. She has served as secretary, vice-chair and chairperson of Collaborative Law Dallas.
Chapter 39's Communication Strategies for Peaceful Divorce
Poor communication contributes to 65% of divorces—yet most couples never learn how to communicate effectively even during the divorce process itself, perpetuating the very patterns that destroyed their marriage. In this transformative chapter, board-certified family law attorney Holly Schymik reveals how mastering specific communication techniques during divorce not only reduces conflict and costs but establishes patterns that benefit co-parenting relationships for decades. Drawing from extensive experience in high-conflict cases, she demonstrates how the right communication approach transforms adversarial proceedings into cooperative transitions.
Schymik provides a comprehensive framework covering every aspect of divorce communication: from choosing the right medium for different topics to managing emotional triggers that derail discussions. She addresses practical realities often overlooked—why face-to-face works for custody but email works for schedules, how co-parenting apps create neutral territory, and when involving mediators prevents escalation. Most importantly, this chapter shows how communication choices made during divorce echo through future relationships, especially affecting children who watch parents model either conflict or cooperation.
Four Communication Techniques from Chapter 39 That Transform Divorce
Who Needs Chapter 39's Communication Framework
This chapter is absolutely essential for anyone whose divorce discussions consistently escalate into arguments, those who dread any interaction with their spouse, and parents worried their conflict is damaging children. It's crucial reading for people who communicate well professionally but lose all skills with their ex-spouse.
Perfect for those whose spouse uses communication as a weapon—baiting, gaslighting, or manipulating—and need strategies for maintaining boundaries while still addressing necessary topics. Ideal for anyone who recognizes that poor communication caused their divorce but doesn't know how to break the pattern, and those preparing for long-term co-parenting relationships. Whether you're just starting divorce proceedings or struggling through years of post-divorce conflict, Schymik's framework provides the communication tools for transformation.
Get your copy of "Divorce Amicably" today and learn communication techniques that transform divorce from a battlefield into a transition process—because how you communicate during divorce determines whether you're building a foundation for future cooperation or decades of continued conflict.
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