First Steps Divorce

Divorce involves more than reaching agreements about finances, property, and parenting. The decisions couples make during divorce can shape their financial stability, family relationships, and the way they manage life after their marriage ends.

At First Steps Divorce, we believe mediation should help couples consider not only the issues they need to resolve today but also how their agreements will work in the years ahead.

Our Approach to Divorce Mediation

First Steps Divorce provides comprehensive divorce mediation services in California through a collaborative co-mediation model. Our team brings together two neutral professionals with complementary expertise: a divorce financial specialist and a mediator specializing in co-parenting, communication, and family dynamics.

This approach allows us to address the interconnected financial, parenting, and practical considerations involved in divorce while helping couples understand their options, identify priorities, and develop agreements that reflect their individual circumstances and long-term goals.

We assist couples throughout the divorce mediation process, from identifying and discussing the issues that need to be resolved to documenting agreements and preparing the necessary divorce paperwork.

Co-Parenting & Comprehensive Parenting Plans

Parenting arrangements are a significant focus of our mediation practice. We help parents develop comprehensive parenting plans that go beyond custody schedules to address decision-making, communication, transitions between households, children's developmental needs, and the many issues that arise as families change.

Our goal is to help parents establish a practical framework for raising their children across two homes, reducing opportunities for future conflict while recognizing that parenting arrangements will need to evolve as children grow.

We also recognize that not every separating couple communicates easily. Our approach incorporates an understanding of difficult relationship dynamics, emotional responses, and conflict patterns that can interfere with productive discussions and decision-making.

Divorce & Co-Parenting Coaching

In addition to mediation, First Steps Divorce provides individual divorce and co-parenting coaching to clients throughout the United States.

Divorce coaching offers a strategic thinking partner for individuals considering divorce, actively involved in the process, or facing challenges afterward. Kelly helps clients understand their options, identify priorities, prepare for negotiations and mediation, and consider how decisions align with their long-term goals.

Co-parenting coaching focuses on helping parents develop effective communication strategies, manage differences between households, and address challenges that arise as their children grow. Kelly also specializes in high-conflict divorce and co-parenting situations, helping clients establish boundaries, recognize unproductive patterns, and develop strategies for managing difficult dynamics.

These services are particularly valuable for individuals who need additional support preparing for mediation, whose spouse is unwilling to participate in mediation, or who are experiencing ongoing co-parenting challenges.

Professional Experience & Expertise

First Steps Divorce was founded by Kelly Myers, a Divorce Strategist, Certified Divorce Coach, Co-Parenting Specialist, and Mediator with advanced training in family mediation, negotiation, and high-conflict resolution.

Kelly brings a systems-thinking perspective to divorce, recognizing how financial, legal, parenting, and emotional considerations influence one another. Her background in divorce coaching and co-parenting informs her understanding of the challenges families face and the practical implications of decisions made during divorce.

Kelly is also committed to continuing professional education. She serves as a Co-Trainer for the Co-Parenting Specialist® Training Program and previously spent three years co-chairing the Statewide California Mediation Association's Family Mediation Institute.

Getting Started

Whether you're exploring divorce mediation as a couple or seeking individual divorce or co-parenting coaching, we invite you to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your circumstances, ask questions, and learn more about how we may be able to help.