Different Paths, Still a Family: A Collaborative Divorce Case Study

Ten years after choosing collaborative divorce, Andres Sanchez remained grateful for the process and Carolann Mazza’s guidance. 

In his five-star review, he described a smooth path forward and a shared understanding with his spouse: although their lives were taking different directions, they would still be a family.

For our practice, his account captures something meaningful about the divorce experience. Years later, Andres remembered how the couple moved forward and the support he received along the way.

The Starting Point: Different Paths, a Continuing Family Connection

Andres and his spouse were looking toward different futures. Alongside that change, they recognized a family connection that remained important to them.

He described their outlook in his review:

“Even though we were looking at different paths, we knew that we were still going to be a family.”

That shared understanding gives this case its focus. Their relationship was changing, but Andres’s description still included a sense of family. He placed that connection at the center of how he remembered the experience.

The review does not recount the couple’s private negotiations. It does tell us what Andres considered important enough to share ten years later. His account begins with the direction they were taking and the connection they recognized.

In our work on setting goals, the conversation centers on what matters to the people making the decisions. Andres expressed that priority in a single sentence: they would still be a family.

The Approach: Collaborative Divorce With Professional Guidance

The couple chose the collaborative approach. Andres’s review connects that choice with a positive experience of moving forward:

“The collaborative process allowed for a smooth path forward, and Carolann was a great guide throughout.”

He credited both the process and the guidance he received. The approach mattered to him, and so did having an attorney whose support he valued throughout.

“A great guide throughout” is particularly meaningful feedback for our practice. Andres remembered the help he received across the process, rather than identifying only one conversation or one moment at its conclusion.

His account offers a personal perspective on the collaborative process. He described the path as smooth and recommended the way the couple had approached their divorce. Those are his assessments of the experience, expressed in his own words.

The Outcome: Satisfaction That Lasted Ten Years

Andres opened his review with a recommendation that reached back a decade:

“I highly recommend Carolann and the collaborative approach to divorce. 10 years later, I am so happy to have come across Carolann and to have embarked on the process as we did.”

Ten years later, he still felt good about the decision. His gratitude included finding Carolann and choosing the approach the couple followed.

The phrase “as we did” brings the account back to the experience itself. Andres valued the way they moved through the transition. 

His recommendation reflects lasting satisfaction with that choice and appreciation for the professional who guided him.

His description of a continuing family connection also adds a personal dimension to relationships after divorce. 

Andres did not describe the relationship as friendship or provide details about the years that followed. He put it in his own words: they knew they would still be a family.

What We Take From Andres’s Experience

The most useful feedback in Andres’s review is specific. He remembered a smooth path, valued the guidance he received, and remained happy with the approach ten years later.

For our practice, that reminds us to listen closely to what clients identify as important. Andres’s account gives the family connection as much prominence as his recommendation of the legal service. Both shaped the story he chose to share.

Carolann Mazza, P.A. / Collaborative Solutions focuses exclusively on non-litigation family law. Our out-of-court services reflect that commitment through collaborative divorce, mediation, and settlement.

Andres’s review puts an individual experience behind that work. Looking back, he remained grateful for the path the couple took while recognizing that different directions could coexist with a continuing sense of family.

About the Professional

Carolann Mazza is a Florida Family Law Attorney (The Florida Bar, admitted 2001), Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator, and Super Lawyers honoree in Family Law for 2022–2026. 

Her Fort Lauderdale practice serves Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties through exclusively non-litigation family law services.

A thoughtful path forward starts with your priorities. Carolann Mazza offers a confidential consultation to discuss your family’s options for resolving divorce outside litigation.

About the Author

Carolann Mazza

Florida Family Law Attorney (The Florida Bar, admitted 2001) · Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator (certified 2011, No. 25475F) · Super Lawyers, Family Law, 2022–2026

Carolann Mazza is the founder of Carolann Mazza, P.A., a non-litigation family law firm she opened in Fort Lauderdale in 2003. Practicing family law in Florida since 2001 and admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1997, she resolves divorce and family conflicts exclusively through Collaborative Divorce, mediation, and out-of-court settlement — keeping families out of court while preserving relationships, dignity, and children’s wellbeing. She serves Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties.