MARCH 10 • 2022 | 27

A

lisa Peskin-Shepherd 
has faced divorce 
issues within her own 
family, and they motivated 
a career interest in assisting 
others coping with marriage 
dissolution problems.
In childhood, she was 
affected by divorce pro-
ceedings entered into by her 
mother, a remarried widow. 
In adulthood, her professional 
goals transitioned from social 
work into family law. 
Gradually, after some 25 
years in practice, Peskin-
Shepherd again faced personal 
divorce issues and choices, this 
time calling an end to her own 
quarter-century of marriage.
When Peskin-Shepherd, the 
mother of two grown daugh-
ters, proceeded through family 
court nine years ago in her 
own behalf with representa-
tion by another attorney, she 
felt confident about approach-
ing solutions because of her 
personal and professional 
experiences.
Working on behalf of others, 
she kept alert to new ways of 
educating and counseling cli-
ents who lacked the insights 
and resources she understood. 
Two years ago, this attorney 
learned about an approach 
that resonated with her out-
look and intent, and she 
became the first Michigan 

licensee for Our Family in 
Two Homes, a divorce edu-
cation process. It combines 
workbook exercises completed 
individually by one or both 
spouses and three consult-
ing sessions for each with an 
attorney.
“The idea that clients can 
educate themselves about the 
law and what their preferenc-
es, issues and conflict styles 
might be in advance of getting 
deeper into the negotiations 
really made sense to me,” 
said Peskin-Shepherd, whose 
private practice, Transitions 
Legal, is based in Bloomfield 
Hills while she also serves as a 
pro bono consultant for those 
seeking help through Jewish 
Family Service of Metro 
Detroit. 
“Clients are always looking to 
save money, and the workbook 
allows them to do some work on 
their own. They can figure out 
the issues they need me to work 
on with them and what issues 
might need less focus.
”
The program was developed 
under the leadership of Jacinta 
Gallant, a Canadian collaborative 
lawyer and mediator specializing 
in conflict resolution. Licensees 
have monthly Zoom meetings 
with her to discuss their personal 
experiences using the process. 
Peskin-Shepherd divides 
major divorce issues into three 

categories — emotional, financial 
and legal. Impressed that Our 
Family in Two Homes addresses 
all three, she studied the method 
last year and has interested two 
clients now immersed in it.
“I belong to the International 
Academy of Collaborative 
Professionals, and every year 
we have an educational forum,
” 
Peskin-Shepherd explained 
about her introduction to the 
program. “
A workshop was 
about this resource package.
“Because I often work with 
individuals who are deciding 
whether to get a divorce, I rec-
ommend this approach since it 
can structure their time think-
ing about all that is involved. 
It gives them directions that 
might suggest their issues 
could be worked out so they 
don’t have to go ahead with the 
divorce.”
An example of an exercise 
has to do with recognizing val-
ues. Participants are provided 
with a series of cards that lead 
them to acknowledge what 
they value and how they apply 
those values while interacting 
with family members. 
“It gives people a lot of 
insight,
” said the attorney, also a 
mediator trained in collaborative 
divorce techniques, parts of a 
process outside of the courtroom 
with each client represented by 
a collaboratively trained attor-

ney and supported by a team of 
specialists in the areas of mental 
health and finances.
In collaborative divorce, 
decisions are made around a 
conference room table with par-
ticipants working together.
Peskin-Shepherd explained 
that considerations and pro-
cedures for a religious divorce 
in Judaism are separate from 
the civil divorces she handles. 
Outcomes in religious proce-
dures are decided by rabbis 
with some attention to issues 
covered by civil laws.
“Most issues in any divorce 
case, whether civil or reli-
gious, stem from some kind 
of emotional issues,” said 
Peskin-Shepherd, a member of 
Congregation B’nai Moshe who 
participates in weekly Torah 
study. “If clients can identify 
those and get help with those, 
they can save money in the 
long run.
“Part of my mission is to edu-
cate other colleagues about the 
resource package to bring them 
on board. I can use the resource 
package with both clients when I 
am acting as a mediator.
”
“Education helps people 
make decisions, and I believe 
this workbook can help iden-
tify goals and options while 
keeping their children in 
the forefront, which is most 
important.” 

Local attorney educates clients 
with ‘Our Family in Two Homes.’

Divorce 
Education

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Alisa Peskin-Shepherd

