The Importance Of Trust

The other day I was catching up with a friend. She has a seven year old son and she was telling me how challenging it had been staying at home with her son and her spouse (who was working from home) during the COVID pandemic. Keeping her seven year old on track via a computer screen was not working well. After discussing the matter with her spouse, having meetings with her son’s teachers, and receiving information form the school board that she deemed relevant to the decision, she decided to send her son to school when the schools in Broward County reopen.

She went on to tell me that while other people were criticizing her decision to allow her son to return to the classroom setting, she felt comfortable in the decision. She said “I know I am the best person to make this decision. I know what works for my family.”

Her comments really resonated with me and reminded me of my Collaborative clients. Sometimes (maybe often) they make decisions that I would not make.  Sometimes (maybe often) I have tried to convince them to do something different. The fact is that they know their situation and their family better than anyone ever can. They are making their decisions using information available to them, only a tiny portion of which I can ever know. Establishing or creating trust is a big part of the Collaborative process, not only for the clients but also for the professionals. 

Time will tell whether my friend’s decision turns out to be a good one. Until then, I trust that it is the right decision.

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.