How do I connect with and learn from Collaborative Professionals in my community?
Professionals who are newly trained in the Collaborative Process or who are interested in learning more about it often ask me this question. Like many things, learning the process is only the beginning. Ongoing learning and practice are crucial for building skill and making Collaborative work a robust part of your practice. In Collaborative Practice we work with teams so connection with other professionals is essential. We are fortunate to have a wealth of resources both locally and nationally. This list focuses mainly on resources available in Washington State. Many of the groups are local to King County, Washington but they all have virtual meetings. The community is welcoming so don’t be shy about reaching out!
ORGANIZATIONS
International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
IACP is an international community of legal, mental health and financial professionals working in concert to create client-centered processes for resolving conflict.
IACP – CollaborativePractice.com
IACP is valuable for ongoing education and connection. Membership includes a profile in the organization’s professional directory which is essential when you begin marketing yourself as a Collaborative Professional. Membership also provides access to a wealth of practice tools and marketing tools.
Collaborative Professionals of Washington
The Collaborative Professionals of Washington (CPW) is a non-profit association of independent professionals from the fields of law, mental health, and finance.
CPW – CollaborativeProfessionalsofWashington.org
CPW is an organization for professionals who are primarily located in the northwest states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Membership includes a profile in the organization’s professional directory which is essential when you begin marketing yourself as a Collaborative Professional. CPW hosts an annual conference the first weekend (generally Thurs – Sat) in March each year.
King County Collaborative Law
King County Collaborative Law is a non-profit membership organization of Collaborative Law Practitioners in King County, WA as well as surrounding counties.
KCCL serves Collaborative Practitioners who have training beyond the basics and are committed to continuing education and growth in the practice of Collaborative Law. Attorneys, Financial professionals, Coaches, Child Specialists, and other allied professionals join KCCL for community, connection and support in building their Collaborative practices and skills. Membership includes a profile in the organization’s professional directory which is essential when you begin marketing yourself as a Collaborative Professional. KCCL has a “Friends” level of membership for professionals who are curious about Collaborative and/or haven’t finished the organization’s training requirements. A Friend level member is added to the mailing list but does not include a listing in the professional directory.
BAR ASSOCIATION SECTIONS
King County Bar Association Collaborative Law Section
Meets the first Friday of each month from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. For more information contact the KCBA Membership Department by email at membership@kcba.org, or call (206) 267-7016. This section is open to attorneys and other professionals (this is a great deal for people who don’t identify as attorneys because they aren’t required to pay KCBA dues, just the section membership fee). The meetings are currently held virtually. The KCBA allows anyone to attend one meeting each year without membership in the Section. Another benefit of membership is a $20 discount on KCCL dues (that makes membership almost a net zero for professionals who join both KCCL and this section if you aren’t an attorney).
WSBA ADR Section
This section needs more help to embrace Collaborative Practice as an “Alternative” dispute resolution process. Join up and get active! There is energy on the executive committee for work to expand Collaborative to practice areas other than family law. WSBA ADR Section
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GROUPS
Professional development groups are sometimes referred to as “Pods”. Some of these groups are closed, meaning they aren’t accepting new members or they are invitation only. Others are open to anyone who is interested in meeting members of the Collaborative community and diving into topics of interest. This is a list of open groups, they all currently meet on Zoom.
CASCADIA meets the first Tuesday of each month from 9:30 to 11:00 am (September and January may meet the second Tuesday depending on holidays). Cascadia generally does not meet in July and August. Cascadia Collaborative Divorce
You can Email Cascadia Collaborative Divorce to request information or a meeting link.
COHO meets the third Wednesday of each month from noon to 1:30 pm. This group is organized by Joanna Roth of Family Transition Center:
COHO Pod – Professional Practice Group
Joanna also organizes Balint Groups, in her words, “Balint groups build our empathy, by cultivating our imaginative comprehension of our clients’ experiences. A Balint group provides a safe forum to bring together experience and meaning. As we deepen our empathy, we lessen the isolation that can lead to burnout.”
COMPASS meets three times each year generally on a Tuesday from noon to 1:30 pm. Contact Tara Richardson for information: Contact Compass Collaborative