We are pleased to bring you another issue of the Collaborative Connection, the electronic newsletter of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Past issues of the Connection are archived on the IACP website at www.collaborativepractice.com [Home > Member Resources > IACP Publications]. If you have comments, questions or any suggestions, please contact info@collaborativepractice.com.

Hello, Collaborative colleagues! As I write, we are feeling the first warm days of spring in my home in Northern California. And while I know that our members on the East Coast of the U.S. have just been through a snowstorm, and our members in Australia and South America are sweltering, all of us are about to see a change of seasons with the equinox. Seems like a good time for a paradigm shift.

We’ll be making the most of that energy here at IACP with an April webinar featuring the charming and delightful Stu Webb, widely acknowledged as the founder of Collaborative Practice, sharing his insights on the paradigm shift after nearly 30 years of practice. He will be accompanied by Kevin Scudder and Melissa Sulkowski, sharing some exercises they have found helpful in understanding this key element of Collaborative Practice. I hope you will all join us, because this promises to be a unique and special opportunity! We have opened this webinar to members and nonmembers, and Stu, Kevin and Melissa are donating their time as a fundraiser for our Forum Scholarship fund. See below for more information.

A webinar on the Paradigm shift is also a great way to kick off our newest member benefit. From here on out, we will be offering training webinars every month. These will be available at a nominal charge to IACP members, and a very reasonable charge to nonmembers. These webinars are just one way IACP is working to expand our professional education offerings, and make them available year-round and around the globe. Our Online Professional Education Task Force is hard at work developing a slate of interesting topics with high-quality and experienced trainers. Read on to the end of this newsletter for a preview of our May webinar, "What No One Told You About Growing Your Collaborative Practice." As a next step, we hope to begin offering CLE’s and CEU’s as part of the webinars. Keep an eye on your inbox to see more of our monthly offerings!

Wherever you are and whatever your weather, I hope this changing season brings you an ever-expanding outlook as we work together to transform the way families resolve conflict around the globe.

With warm wishes,

Anne Tamar-Mattis

Be sure to reserve your spot for our next Masterclass featuring the Founder of Collaborative Practice, Stu Webb on April 17th at 2 pm PST/ 5 pm EST.

Webb will be joined by Kevin Scudder and Melissa Sulkowski for a guided look at the evolution, power and potential of the Paradigm Shift. 

The event is open to both members and non-members. In lieu of charging for the event, we're asking all registrants to pay it forward. All proceeds for the webinar will go to the IACP Forum Scholarship Fund. The recommended donation amount for the webinar is $25 for members and $50 for nonmembers. 

To donate, please make an online payment here. Please indicate "Forum Scholarship Fund" in the comments section. If you've registered, but have not yet made your donation, please be sure to do so here. 

"Many practice groups struggle with how to respond to members who complain that they aren’t getting enough cases. It can be helpful to practice how to talk to potential clients or referral sources about Collaborative Practice based on the specific individual you are talking with and their fears, concerns, hopes and values. For instance, when talking with a child therapist you may want to share how much you appreciate the roles of Child Specialist and Collaborative Coach in the Collaborative Process so that the voice of the child can be heard and parents can have information and support to help them keep children out of the middle.

Remember that everyone may know someone who is considering divorce, so everyone is a potential referral source even if they are not a potential client. The more we share our confidence and enthusiasm for the work of helping families to resolve conflicts the more we open the door for more collaborative cases."

Contributed by Lori Gephart from Pittsburgh, PA

 
Do you have questions about practice group management, or tips for other practice groups? 
Write to our Practice Group Development Committee at lgephart@nhpa.com.

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A Collaborative case starts at the very first point of contact with your office. What does your website say about your practice? How do you introduce yourself? What do you say in your initial meeting? Every touchpoint matters when it comes to building and expanding your Collaborative work. 

During our upcoming May webinar, 7 Keys to Success: What no one told you about Growing your Collaborative Practice, a panel of experienced Collaborative Professionals will share their expertise and insight to help both new and experienced practitioners market and grow their practices. Look for more information about this event in upcoming communications!