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2022.08 NYACP Newsletter Summer 2022 |
NYACP NEWS ~ SUMMER 2022Volume 4, Issue 3 IN THIS ISSUE...President's Message NYACP Events Mark Your Calendars! Opportunities to Get Involved in the NYACP Member News and Summer Highlights A MESSAGE FROM OUR 2022 NYACP PRESIDENTBy Ken NovensternWe are coming out of Summer, 2022 where people clearly took revenge vacations based upon all of your pictures on FB!!! I enjoyed time on Vancouver Island in Victoria and Tofino with some cooler temps, and in Alaska—some awesome fishing, kayaking and hiking. Thanks to Jacinta Gallant for her recommendations on Vancouver Island. Then a few days last week hiking the High Peaks in the Adirondacks with a great recommendation on hiking Cascade and Porter from Abby Curro, possibly the only person in NYACP to hike all 46 of the peaks over 4,000’ in the ADKs—a true 46er! Our group continues to impress. Ellen Jancko-Baken has established a solid Membership Committee, with Catherine Canadé and Shara Goldfarb starting another session of the Mentorship Program - please register ASAP if you want to participate as Mentor or Mentee! Melissa Goodstein and Tony Markus continue the great work of the Training and Education Committee with Jacinta Gallant set for our Annual Training at Brae Burn Country Club on December 1, 2022. Special thanks to Neil Kozek for helping get the day set with Brae Burn and allowing us to enjoy this beautiful venue which has been a part of his family life for at least 15 years. Our Board is a tremendous group. Randy Heller has been an enthusiastic and active addition in 2022. Other members not mentioned above include Steve Linker who has hopefully dealt with some important health issues and will help guide us through the Fall; Michele Lewis who has participated in Training and Education and now the Membership Committee; Meg Sussman who is also part of the Executive Committee as Secretary; Nancy Kaye who does the work behind the scenes to oversee our finances and is constant in her attention to detail; Kathleen Donelli who is working on upcoming programs; Jeffrey Steiger who may be our longest serving Board member always with important input; and of course, our Past president, Andrea Vacca, who has helped guide this organization for so many years and has been instrumental in important structural changes including the retention of Cap Hill as our management company. And Abby Curro will soon be completing her fourth year as our Executive Director with her usually quiet and steady suggestions and recommendations helping us negotiate the issues which arise in the smooth operation of the NYACP. To our members, thank you for always stepping up and assisting with trainings, membership issues, input and kind words. I think of former Board members like MaryEllen Linnehan, Deborah Wayne, Lauren Behrman, Katherine Miller, Bob Raymond, Neil Cahn, Andrew Samalin, Arnold Cribari, and so many others who helped us reach this stage in our development as an organization and how critical their earlier work has been in our evolution. Other members who have been enthusiastic supports include Barbara Rothberg who is just stepping off another role as a member of the Membership Committee, Linda Markowitz who helps out always; Elana Katz and Steve Kaplan who undertook our most recent BCIT Training with Katherine; and Steve again for his role in maintain our connection with Kathryn Lazar and the Hudson Valley Practice Group. Harriette Steinberg is playing an important part in our efforts to keep Social Media front of mind—thank you Harriette. I look forward to a rousing Fall and the end of my term as President. It went fast and included the Zoom world of remote work and trainings. Special thanks to my colleague and Vice President Melissa Goodstein and I look forward to working with Melissa on the transition to her term as President starting in January 2023. Ken Novenstern, President NYACP and hiker extraordinaire NYACP HAD A BUSY SUMMER!NYACP Board of Directors Strategic Planning
Your NYACP Board is at Work For You!! Summer Social in NYCAfter several years of the pandemic shut down, we jumped forward into Spring when NYACP held its first in-person Social Event in NYC !
Narcissism and AddictionFor our last presentation before the summer break, on June 10, 2022 our own Micki Wade, LCSW presented: "Narcissism and Addiction as Common Themes in Marriage that Lead to Divorce." Moderated by Melissa Goodstein, this presentation discussed these two common afflictions that end marriages and destroy relationships in general. Narcissism and addiction, often related, also cause major roadblocks in negotiation and while creating parenting plans. Micki shared effective and ineffective strategies while trying to reach settlement as well as on ways to manage these cases with more patience and compassion. We also explored questions like: When does habit become an addiction? Why does AA work when therapy doesn’t? How does one become a narcissist? Is one addiction worse than another? What is codependency? Micki is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, collaborative divorce coach, certified equine assisted therapist and author. Micki has been a coach on somewhere between 100 and 200 collaborative cases.Because of her specialized knowledge of addiction, she has served on many cases where addiction has been present and has been able to directly address the addiction, codependency, discuss treatment options and create appropriate parenting plans. Melissa received training in collaborative law and in 2005 was trained in the interdisciplinary collaborative team model. Melissa practices exclusively within the mediation and collaborative divorce models. Her practice is located in Katonah, New York serving clients throughout Westchester County and Putnam County and the surrounding New York metropolitan area. Melissa is the Vice President of the NYACP. A Guideline to GuidelinesOn June 14, 2022, hosted by the NYC Pod, Myra L. Freed, Esq. and Lawrence N. Rothbart, Esq. facilitated a presentation entitled: The Guideline Caps, Not Quite A Sure Thing? Part II: Case Consultations Myra has specialized in matrimonial law for over 35 years. She has been the principal of her own law firm in Manhattan since 2002. She practices Collaborative Law, litigates and serves as a private pay Attorney for the Child, by court appointment in the First Department, New York County, representing children in contested custody and parenting time litigation. Larry focuses his NYC solo practice on family law issues, including, divorce, child custody, child support, property division and maintenance. Larry mainly uses the processes of Collaborative Practice and mediation with a little remaining sprinkling of the adversarial model. “Follow Up” – Why It’s So Important And How It Can Haunt YouOn Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Margaret A. Nicholson, Esq. facilitated an informal discussion at the Northern Westchester Pod Monthly Meeting regarding follow-up – why it’s so important and how it can haunt you. Participants discussed when we can feel comfortable that our job as collaborative professionals has been carried through to completion? How shall we discuss and memorialize the extent of follow up to be done with clients and/or expected of professionals when finalizing an agreement. How can we Anticipate pitfalls that could arise in the future. What actions can we take to increase the effectiveness or enhance the success of our negotiated settlements? This event was sponsored by the Northern Westchester Pod Monthly Meeting Margaret is a matrimonial and family law attorney with a practice located in Somers, NY. In addition to her practice’s family law focus, she also provides representation to clients in real estate transactions and guardianship matters. HERE COMES FALL...MARK YOUR CALENDARS!We Are Excited to Provide the Following Events for Our Members this Fall!NYACP Professional Headshot Events
Time to update your professional headshot? NYACP will be holding three special events for NYACP members only to have a professional headshot taken. Headshot Sessions are 15 minutes, include on-site image selection. Within 5-7 business days of the session, you will receive a fully-retouched digital version of your favorite image. We will also have a hair and makeup artist available for booking for those who wish to have a little primping before their session. The dates are below for each area, just click the link below to sign up for a convenient time! September 13th - Garden City More Info HereNo Justice! No Peace! Understanding How Systemic Racism Impacts Us Personally and ProfessionallyDon’t miss out on our first presentation of the Fall presented by Barbara Burr, Esq., Candice D. Saketkoo, Ph.D., Psy.D., Natalie Goldberg, LCSW, LCSW-C, LICSW on September 23, 2022 from 12:00pm-1:30pm. Learn how to forge concrete action plans to remove obstacles and achieve meaningful change in your practices and practice group. Explore and examine what stands in the way of greater diversity, genuine equity and meaningful inclusion. Join IACP Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee members Candice Saketkoo, PhD, PsyD, Natalie Goldberg, LCSW, and Barb Burr, JD, as they lead a discussion on the intersection of our work as Collaborative Professionals and as peacemakers to strengthen justice, equity and inclusion. For more information, visit our event page Click Here To RegisterAttendees are requested to please read/watch the following before the program:
IACP Annual Forum: Share the Collaborative Magic!IACP's Annual Networking and Educational Forum is the world’s largest and most preeminent gathering of Collaborative and Consensual Dispute Resolution professionals from around the globe. After too much time apart and two years of our IACP community growth, we are just as excited as you are to see each other in person again! In fact, 2022’s Forum might be the largest yet! From October 27-30, 2022, we’ll gather in Orlando, FL at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center for a weekend of enriching networking and impactful learning. The 2022 Forum theme is Share the Collaborative Magic! Inspired not just by our Forum location, which is hailed as the most magical place on earth, and the out-of-this-world resort we are staying at, our theme represents how Collaborative is a truly magical experience, which holds transformative powers felt by clients around the world and the Collaborative teams that help them. Don’t miss this enchanting experience filled with magical moments! My Collaborative Team (MCT)Every Third Thursday of the month, at the invitation of My Collaborative Team (MCT) Member, all of our members have been invited to participate in the “MCT Initiative“ at no charge. My Collaborative Team’s (MCT) mission is to provide meaningful, dynamic, powerful, and thought-provoking resources to Collaborative Practice Groups and Practitioners worldwide seeking to transform the process by which people resolve disputes. It is that mission that drives our goal with this new initiative. MCT has continued their Introductory learning program, and several of our NYACP members have participated. In April and May we heard presentations about “Being the Best Team Player that you Can Be, and How to successfully launch your Collaborative Practice with Collaborative Leaders Brian Galbrinth, the incoming President of IACP and Susan Guthrie, of the Mosten and Giuthrie Academy. These programs are also a fantastic way to provide our members and other Collaborative professionals the opportunity to network and is fantastic for those who are just getting started in the Collaborative Process, as well as those experienced professionals looking to expand their professional network. For more information, contact: [email protected] CREATE YOUR OPPORTUNITIES BY GETTING INVOLVEDPod and Support Groups (for NYACP members only)NYACP Pod and Support Groups (SGCPs) fulfill two different types sustenance and care for our members. Please visit the NYACP CALENDAR to see when each group is meeting this month.
NYACP PodsJoin a Pod and Collaborate! The NYACP Pods are regionally (New York City, Long Island, and Westchester) managed groups that hold monthly meetings open for any NYACP member to attend. A Pod's goal is to provide structured training programs each month, presented by Pod members or guest speakers. For questions, if you have a topic of interest, or would like to facilitate a meeting, please contact the leader listed below. Pods have been meeting virtually since March 2020. These meetings are for NYACP Members Only. Long Island: Meetings are scheduled for odd months 8:15am - 9:30am. In even months 8:45am - 10:00 a.m. This hybrid is the current resolution to accommodate both those who need to leave earlier, and others who need to join later. Leader: Neil Cahn NYC: Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month at 8:30am - 9:30am. Leader: Judith Stein N. Westchester: Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month 9:00am - 10:00am. Leaders: Melissa Goodstein and Tony Markus Once you complete your registration, you will receive the log-in information, link and phone numbers in your confirmation email. Just click on the link or dial in at the time of the meetings. Support Groups for Collaborative Professionals (SGCPs)Get the Support you Need to Build Your Collaborative Practice! Virtual Zoom Meetings. Support Groups have been formed to share cases, networking and/or seek to benefit from meeting with colleagues doing collaborative work with our colleagues. The group aims to support skill building and practice development. These groups are closed to new members at this time. But if you would like to start your own Support Group, let us know! NYC Tuesday: Meeting the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Leaders: Barbara Rothberg and Marc Fleisher. NYC Wednesday: Meeting will be the 4th Wednesday of every month from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Leaders: Rachel Fishman Green and Bob Raymond. Westchester: Meetings are on alternate third Wednesday monthly. Leaders: Alternate with NW SGCP Members. Lower Westchester: Meets the second Tuesday of the Month at 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Leaders: Ellen Jancko-Baken or Steve Kaplan. Join a Committee Meeting! Connect with Colleagues While Moving NYACP ForwardTraining and Education CommitteeThe Training and Education Committee will develop and implement interdisciplinary programs for all professionals supporting our work in the collaborative process. This will include periodic advanced collaborative practice trainings averaging once a month from Sept to June every year for all professionals by non -members and members, basic collaborative divorce training for prospective new members by members annually or every other year and annual day of collaborative process training and annual meeting in December. The committee will be given a budget approved by board on an annual basis and programs will be designed to enable members achieve excellence in collaborative practice. The committee will strive to provide trainings in response to membership interests and topical issues relative to our collaborative practices. Trainings to take place at locations in NYC, Westchester and on Long Island, with location and platform for a particular training taking into consideration preferences of trainers, sponsors, likely attendees, cost and other factors. Training Committee meets monthly September-June on the first Thursday of the month from 12 to 1pm via Zoom. The next meeting is September 1st. For more information, please contact Melissa Goodstein or Tony Markus (Co-Chairs) Professional Standards CommitteeUpon the direction of the NYACP Board of Directors, the Professional Standards Committee will discuss issues and make recommendations to keep NYACP current and relative as we move into the future. This committee may review policies and identify areas where a policy may need to be adjusted and/or make recommendation for implementation of new policies and procedures. Stephen Linker (Chair) Nominating CommitteeThe Nominating Committee is responsible for organizing, and recommending to the Board of Directors, candidates for election as Directors. Andrea Vacca (Chair) Diversity CommitteeSupport NYACP members to understand the impact of systemic racism on each of us both personally and professionally. Provide programs focused on self-reflection and education to more effectively work with clients and colleagues who have been historically excluded from the collaborative process due to race. Through this work, the goal is to create a safer community and to foster membership that more accurately reflects the diversity of the greater New York area. Jessica Rothberg (Chair) Membership CommitteeA Membership Committee creates strategies to keep current members active and involved in order to preserve their retention numbers and develops campaigns to attract new members. The Membership Committee becomes more active when the board identifies a membership-related issue or special project that requires discussion, research and recommendations for changes to association membership business. The Committee will promote the benefits of NYACP membership; identify issues important to members; evaluate current and potential products and services; and work to enhance the value of NYACP membership. Meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of the month at noon. Ellen Jancko-Baken (Chair) Social Media CommitteeCommittee members will actively participate in bringing ideas and creative posts to the group monthly with the purpose of engaging other NYACP members on social media platforms, promoting the social media accounts of the organization, inviting others to become involved and promoting Collaborative Practice to the public. Social media is about community and connections and should not be solely focused on marketing messages. Committee members will collect relevant materials (graphics, photos, documents, etc) and send to the office for posting. CHMS will continue to schedule and provide the actual posting. Harriett Steinberg (Chair) Speaking of Social Media...ARE YOU FOLLOWING US ON ALL YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS? Follow us today and then "like" and "repost" us! WANTED!....Mentors and MenteesOur NYACP Mentorship Program continues to be a valuable and rewarding experience for both mentees and mentors alike! Each month the mentors and mentees connect to answer the mentee's questions regarding ongoing cases, specific issues or practice management. At the end of the session we have a feedback session which gives us some good ideas for how to improve the program going forward. We are launching the next session September 15th, 2022 which will run through January 15th, 2023. The NYACP Mentorship Program offers NYACP members the opportunity to be paired with experienced collaborative professionals who may provide case or practice guidance, mentoring and advice. This program is open to NYACP member collaborative attorneys, mental health professionals and financial professionals. Expectations and Guidelines:
It is NYACP’s mission to empower our members to achieve excellence in their collaborative skills and practice, and we have confidence that this pilot program will provide our new as well as more experienced members with the opportunity to develop and improve their collaborative skills and strengthen connections within our NYACP community. We look forward to a successful launch to our program! NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHTMeet Corey M. Shapiro, Esq.Until I was 8 years old, I thought I had been born into a family secured by my parents’ happy marriage. We were living in Hawaii—and growing up in Hawaii, as Larry David would say, is “pretty . . . pretty . . . pretty ...good.” I have spent the better part of two decades helping people through their divorces to avoid the kind of bad choices my mom made. Meet Stacy Preston CollinsStacy Preston Collins, CPA/ABV, CFF is a Managing Director with Financial Research Associates and has focused on forensic accounting and valuation issues since 1993. Her work involves complex financial issues in matrimonial cases, shareholder disputes, estate planning engagements, and other matters. Ms. Collins has testified as a financial expert on business valuation and forensic accounting issues in several states. She has been appointed by the court as an expert in New York and New Jersey. MEMBER NEWS & SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." — F. Scott FitzgeraldTake a look at some of the fun our members had this summer!Somewhere over the rainbow on Lake Champlain
I spent one week of my summer vacation taking my grandson to look at schools in Boston and then delivering him to Columbia for a 3 week summer program for high school students. I spent the rest recovering from that trip just in time to have the older one for a week. I love my weekends at my summer place on the Jersey shore! And what great weather we have had this summer. I went to Colorado during my summer vacation. My hobby is whitewater paddling and I worked on edging techniques - by shifting ones weight in the boa,t putting the canoe or kayak on an edge rather than resting on the flat bottom of the boat. I also started my 12 year old grandson to do river kayaking. Seeing and learning about the world ranks high on my list, so what is summer without a travel adventure or two? Flight cancellations and logistics got in the way in a major way (and thank you to those who accommodated my changed and uncertain travel plans), but Fern and I persevered and got to enjoy a thrilling bucket list trip - Safari in Tanzania and Kenya - as well as a long weekend in a very hot but enjoyable Amsterdam. Wonderful after several years of avoiding travel. Beach time on the weekend was enjoyable too. As summer draws to a close, next summer's trip to the Galapagos and Machu Picchu is already in the works and something to look forward to. Hope to see all of you soon. One important development for me is the along with Michelle Lewis and Denise O’Connor and a cracker jack team of paralegals, we began a new firm, KOZEK PLLC! We continue to practice at the same address, in the same suite, with the same contact information. We can also be reached by email at: [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected] We are excited for a new era of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution. I am excited to continue to be co-chair of the AAML Collaborative Law Committee and I am speaking briefly to the AAML at their annual conference in November in Chicago. Miss you Rand!!! Due to Covid, my summer adventure travel didn’t happen. I spent time off either with my four grandchildren, ages .1 to 5 ½ years old and seriously questioning my dedication to playing golf. We sold our home where we lived for 36 years and will be moving in a few months to White Plains. The new house comes with a large partial unfinished basement and my husband is thrilled he doesn’t have to throw out anything because the new basement has a large storage area. Wish me luck! I flew to Barcelona in June and set sail from there on the Celebrity Beyond cruise ship….where my daughter was working as a singer/dancer. What a thrill to see her doing what she loves as we cruised the Mediterranean! Then Ellen Jancko-Baken and I settled a major, decidedly non-collaborative case. The thrill of being done with that mess rivals that of seeing my daughter perform!! I had a bike accident at the start of the summer that derailed my ability to bike or kayak for the rest of the summer, but enjoyed a lot of long hikes and walks and spending time with my three sons. Then I went to Israel for the first time for a two week trip with my family. We spent a part of our first night in Tel Aviv in a bomb shelter as Islamic Jihad took aim at Tel Aviv, but it got much better after that! A quick flight out of the city to experience hiking in the mountains in North Carolina, set the context for some needed R&R. I spent a glorious month under the Tuscan sun with family at my sister's home in Greve Italy. I enjoyed preparing and sharing meals with the best Chianti, family card and board games, exploring and walking the magnificent countryside, gelato, more gelato and more walking , fluffy summer reads by the pool, and most of all being present and tech free with my loved ones. I am already planning my return and until then summer in Greve is my happy place. After a couple of years of more often than not laying low, we enjoyed 3 special trips this summer: visiting family in North Carolina, our annual "beach week" at the Jersey shore, and a 10 day trip to Israel planned to maximize touring opportunities ahead of training family therapists in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy). It's been a gift. HAVE NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOUR NYACP FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES? Email [email protected] or Randy Heller at [email protected] |