The Yoga Divorce

Alyse had been to court several times with her prior lawyer. At each court appearance the two lawyers clashed and fought, which caused Alyse unbearable stress and anxiety, so much so that at the last appearance she actually fainted. I have studied and practiced meditation for years, and I utilize these skills to retain my own composure and to help client’s reduce their anxiety during divorce. Before Alyse’s next court appearance, I had Alyse engage in breathing and visualization exercises to keep her calm. At the appearance, I approached Alyse’s husband’s lawyer in a different manner, without raising my voice or attacking, focusing on the needs of the family and creating options for resolution. I bonded with him, recognizing that we had a common interest in nature and bird watching. My approach allowed us to move towards settlement and over the course of that one court appearance, we fine-tuned various proposals and reached agreement. We had one further conference, where Alyse used her meditation techniques as she and her husband signed a final settlement agreement. She never had to go back to court again.