The end of a marriage or relationship can be tragic enough. Often, the process of divorcing only adds to the pain. You and your spouse may come to see each other as adversaries and the divorce as a battleground. You may experience feelings of confusion, anger, loss and conflict. Under such circumstances, you might find it difficult to see an end to divorce, much less imagine a hopeful future afterwards.

But it doesn't have to be this way. A growing number of parting couples, along with other professionals such as lawyers, mental heath professors and financial consultants, have been seeking a more constructive alternative. These professionals have developed the Collaborative Law Practice model.

Collaborative Law Practice is a reasonable approach to divorce based on three principles:

• A pledge not to go to court
• An honest exchange of information by both spouses
• A solution that takes into account the highest priorities of both spouses and their children.

Mutual respect is fundamental to the collaborative way. You may cease being spouses, but you don't cease being worthy human beings. When respect is given and received, discussions are likely to be more productive and an agreement reached more easily.