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There are moments in couples therapy that stay with you. One of those moments is sitting across from someone who has just discovered that the person they trusted most has betrayed them. I have watched people walk into my office trying desperately to understand how the life they believed they were living suddenly feels unfamiliar. They may be furious one minute and devastated the next. They may desperately want their partner close and then suddenly be unable to tolerate being

I am going to admit something right up front: I am a total nerd about relationships. I have spent much of my professional life studying how people attach, how couples become disconnected, how families organize themselves around conflict, why we repeat patterns even when they aren't working, and what creates lasting change. I want to know why. Why do we pursue someone who is pulling away? Why do we withdraw from the person we most want to feel close to? Why do we become critic

“Children are at their happiest and able to make the best use of whatever abilities they possess when they are confident that, standing behind them, there are one or more trusted persons who will come to their aid if difficulties arise.” John Bowlby, Attachment and Loss: Vol. 1. Attachment (1969/1982) Every August, I see the same quiet stress emerge in mediation sessions. It rarely begins with disagreements over parenting time or holiday schedules. Instead, it begins with som

I spent two decades building transaction structures, running due diligence, and negotiating terms for organizations that could not afford to get the details wrong. When couples walk into divorce mediation at Stevenson Heywood Group, I bring that same lens: read the fine print, understand the process before you're in it, and never assume everyone already knows how Colorado divorce mediation works. Most people don't. Divorce mediation carries a reputation, and reputations are r

Codependency is often misunderstood as “neediness” or a personality flaw. In my work with individuals, couples, and families, I see it differently. Codependency is frequently a nervous-system adaptation to instability. It’s what happens when the body learns that connection equals safety and disconnection equals danger. Internal Family Systems (IFS) gives us a compassionate, effective framework for understanding codependent patterns as protective parts (not defects). When we c

Divorce mediation is not simply a legal process — it is a relational one. When parents arrive in my office (or Zoom room), they are often carrying years of accumulated hurt, miscommunication, and patterns that were never repaired during the marriage. Many expect the mediation process to mirror the conflict they have become accustomed to, one person defending, one attacking, and one walking away discouraged. This is why a mediator’s impartiality matters so deeply. Neutrality i

Workplace mediation is an essential tool for resolving conflict and strengthening organizational culture . Workplace mediation supports businesses and teams experiencing founder or partner disputes, employment challenges, succession planning, workplace and team conflict, shared ownership and exit agreements, and more. It supports a holistic approach and a long-term plan for conflict resolution while also maintaining a legally binding contract. Mediators collaborate with teams

As someone who has supported families for decades, I can say this with complete clarity: Most parents aren’t afraid of the divorce itself—they’re afraid of losing connection with their child. That fear is deeply human. And during the storm of divorce, children can get pulled into loyalty binds long before parents notice the early signs. This is why support and healthy co-parenting solutions matter. Parental Alienation Often Begins in the “Gray Zone” Parental alienation rarely

Picking Up Where We Left Off: Nurturing Resilience with Healthy Co-Parenting In my recent blog, 'Nurturing Resilience: Brain Development, Sensitive Periods, and Healthy Co-Parenting After Divorce,' I explored how divorce intersects with child development, attachment, and brain health. We looked at Erikson's psychosocial stages, Bowlby's attachment theory, and Satir's family systems approach, all through the lens of neuroscience and sensitive periods in a child's growth. The t

In today's rapidly evolving work environment, conflict is a natural and visible part of team life. Whether rooted in miscommunication, personality differences, shifting team structures, or new pressures brought by growth, technology, or hybrid work, workplace disputes can quickly disrupt performance and morale. Mediation , especially when rooted in genuine compassion, is the key not just to resolution, but to creating teams that are inclusive, resilient, and successful. What

Growing up in an often unstable household with eight siblings and a single mom , I learned early that life doesn’t hand you peace,...

Introduction: Importance of Co-Parenting Divorce is a life-altering event for every member of a family. For parents, it can bring logistical and emotional challenges. For children, divorce disrupts the environment in which their brains are developing; sometimes during the most sensitive periods for emotional regulation, attachment, and identity formation. Neuroscience shows that relationships and environments shape brain architecture, especially during these windows of heigh

In the world of business, disputes are almost inevitable. Whether it’s a disagreement between partners, conflicts with clients, or issues...