ADR Divorce Coaching in Canada
Why is ADR aligned divorce coaching critical for Canadians?
There is an undeniable movement, both provincially and federally, to change the landscape of divorce for Canadian families. Canada’s Family Law system actively encourages out of court settlement and ADR is really not the alternative but is rather, more common than litigation. Judges and lawyers consistently emphasize settlement, negotiation, mediation and collaborative processes. As the system evolves to make Alternative Dispute Resolution attempts mandatory in many regions across the country ADR aligned Divorce Coaches that support clients with these processes are more in demand than ever. The federal Divorce Act mandates that lawyers must encourage ADR and provincial changes to court access can “herd” people into mandatory ADR but a client who engages a Divorce Coach has the skilled guidance and support they need to negotiate their divorce to conclusion in an out of court process.
What challenges do separating families face in Canada?
Canadian courts are overloaded, slow, and prohibitively expensive. Families in conflict can wait months, or years, to have the court dictate important decisions for their matters. Meanwhile conflict escalates, unchecked and often the children suffer most of all. Out of court settlement is a fraction of the cost of litigation and settlement can occur exponentially faster. Canadian families need access to faster resolution and ADR process options provide that.
How do cultural norms affect communication, decision-making, or parenting?
With the vast majority of Canadian coparents having “joint decision-making responsibility” for the major decisions for their children, there is ample opportunity for disagreement that causes stalls, delays and conflict. Using the courts to settle these disputes should only be a last resort and parents are encouraged to use ADR processes to resolve it. Parenting issues are often time sensitive and waiting for the courts to issue an order on something that you could have resolved months or years earlier is a shame. Parenting decisions, both during separation and post-divorce, don’t wait for court dates. Coparents have a much greater likelihood at resolving their disagreement in ADR when they have support and guidance from an ADR Divorce Coach.
The DCA® Certification Advantage
Divorce Coaches Academy® delivers the world’s leading ADR-aligned divorce coach training program, grounded in dispute-resolution principles and behavior-based coaching methodologies.
Graduates of the DCA® Certification Program benefit from:
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A fully dispute-resolution–aligned curriculum anchored in internationally recognized ADR best practices
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Nine weeks of post-theory mentorship, offering structured feedback, case simulations, and real-time skill refinement — unmatched by any other program globally
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Evidence-informed frameworks, including FLOW, IMPACT and RESOLVE
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Competency-based certification, ensuring every ADR divorce coach graduates practice-ready
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A strict non-therapeutic, non-legal model consistent with dispute resolution standards of practice and ethics.
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A global faculty and regionalized leadership team, providing country-specific relevance and universal professional standards.
The Basics of Divorce in Canada
Divorce in Canada is a federal process under the Divorce Act, but the paperwork and steps are handled in provincial family courts. Canada has no-fault divorce nationwide, so issues like infidelity or cruelty do not affect financial outcomes. Most people qualify after one year of separation, with limited exceptions that allow earlier divorce.
The Divorce Act defines Family Dispute Resolution (FDR)—such as negotiation, mediation, collaborative law, or arbitration—and requires parties to attempt FDR before going to court unless it’s clearly inappropriate. Lawyers must encourage FDR, making ADR not just permitted but the default approach in most Canadian divorces.
Property and debts are generally divided 50/50, with some assets excluded (e.g., pre-relationship property or inheritances), though proving exemptions can be complex. Most co-parents share joint decision-making responsibility, and the most common parenting arrangement is equal parenting time.
Support is guided by federal tools. Child support uses government tables based on income differences and parenting time and covers shared extra expenses such as uninsured medical costs or childcare. Spousal support is typically negotiated using the Spousal Support Advisory Guidelines (SSAG), which provide ranges for amount and duration, if a party is entitled.
DID YOU KNOW?
Clients are consistently surprised by how much choice they have and that they are likely to engage in interest-based negotiation to determine the outcomes of their divorce. With choice and negotiation comes pressure and overwhelm. ADR processes like mediation and collaborative divorce offer clients the benefit of increased control and agency, they have opportunity to advocate for their interests and can make creative proposals that suit their unique situation and the best interests of their children. This requires more active participation from the client and Divorce Coaches help clients build the skills and confidence they need to take the driver’s seat for their divorce.
HOW CERTIFICATION WORKS
Program Format:
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Eleven weeks and eleven modules of foundational theory
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Nine weeks of live mentor-led skills labs after foundational theory
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Final competency review and certification
Following Certification:
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Free bi-monthly continuing education events
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Opportunity to join Case Consultation Group for continued mentoring and peer support
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Speciality trainings in conflict, mediation prep, and co-parenting to take skills to the next level
Core Outcomes:
Graduates will be able to:
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Coach clients using behavior-based, non-pathologizing language to reduce defensiveness and support constructive engagement.
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Support emotional regulation during high-stress decision-making, enabling clients to stay grounded and aligned with their long-term goals.
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Navigate clients through divorce-process choices with clear, structured, non-legal guidance that enhances clarity and confidence.
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Stabilize conflict patterns and reduce reactivity through evidence-informed communication and conflict-de-escalation tools.
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Manage conflict more effectively so clients can respond, not react, in challenging interactions.
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Help clients engage in effective, forward-focused communication with their spouse or co-parent, reducing friction and elevating cooperation.
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Facilitate values-based decision-making, ensuring clients choose pathways aligned with what matters most to them and their children.
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Support clients in transitioning from a spousal relationship into a functional co-parenting partnership rooted in respect, consistency, and child-centered thinking.
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Promote flexible thinking and mindset agility, helping clients shift out of rigid, fear-driven positions into future-ready perspectives.
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Guide collaborative problem-solving processes that empower clients to generate options rather than fixate on obstacles.
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Help clients move from positional stances toward interest-based agreements, supporting resolution that is practical, durable, and less adversarial.
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Work collaboratively with attorneys, mediators, and family law professionals, complementing and strengthening the broader ADR ecosystem.
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Apply DCA® frameworks systematically in real-world scenarios, ensuring every coaching interaction is structured, ethical, and outcome-oriented.
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Support clients in positively stepping forward as individuals, helping them build identity, agency, and resilience separate from the marriage.
Following Certification:
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Free bi-monthly continuing education events
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Opportunity to join Case Consultation Group for continued mentoring and peer support
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Speciality trainings in conflict, mediation prep, and co-parenting to take skills to the next level
The Need for Divorce Coaches:
Canadian Family Law lawyers, government policy makers, mental health professionals, ADR practitioners...are all in agreement that the contentious expensive and often traumatic litigated divorce of the past is not the best divorce for Canadian families. Efforts are visible in every corner of the divorce profession, work being done to make change to reduce the time, expense and damage of divorce on parties and their children. Certified ADR Divorce Coaches and the work we do is in alignment with a national movement and undoubtedly “on trend”.
Market Opportunities:
Divorce Coaching is a field in its infancy in Canada. ADR is a hot topic and on the rise. The most recent 5-year average number of divorces granted yearly in Canada (according to Statistics Canada) is 57,773. The high number of divorces + the majority of parties utilizing ADR + very few Certified ADR Divorce Coaches = incredible market opportunity.
Professional Collaboration:
Divorce coaches support family law lawyers, collaborative professionals, and mediators by helping clients show up organized, emotionally regulated, and prepared to make informed decisions. Coaches guide clients through gathering information, clarifying goals, and understanding processes so professionals can focus on legal and negotiated solutions rather than managing overwhelm or conflict. They teach skills for effective communication and reduce reactive behaviors that stall progress, helping clients participate constructively in meetings, negotiations, and mediation. By increasing client readiness and reducing time spent on non-legal issues, divorce coaches contribute to a smoother process, more efficient use of professional time, and better outcomes for both families AND the divorce professionals.
Dori Braddell
Director of Learning & Development
Canada
Credentials
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DCA Certified ADR Divorce Coach
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DCA Conflicted Coparenting Divorce Coach
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DCA Divorce Conflict Coach
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DCA Pre-Mediation Divorce Coach
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CDC Certified Divorce Coach
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CDC Divorce Recovery and Transition Coach
Dori says:
"Timing is everything—and now is the moment for ADR divorce coaching in Canada. I hope you’ll join us in shaping a future where Canadian families navigate divorce with clarity, dignity, and far less harm."
Meet Your Regional Director
Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Dori supports clients locally and across Canada and the United States in her practice “The Divorce Mentor”. She has been practicing full time as a Certified Divorce Coach since 2020, building a thriving practice entirely through word of mouth and lawyer referrals. Whether organizing complex financial disclosure or helping clients create strong parenting plans and co-parenting communication, Dori brings structure, clarity, and confidence to especially overwhelming high-conflict and financially complex divorce. She believes deeply in supporting clients as they transform conflict into informed, confident decision-making. Her best days are when a client “turns a corner” and beams with pride knowing they showed up for themselves in the way they hoped to, a way that once felt impossible. A close second is when a family law professional speaks of the transformation they have witnessed in the client after working with her.
An entrepreneur since the 1990’s, Dori has spent decades training, leading and mentoring others. An experienced group facilitator and presenter, she was invited to present to the Canadian Bar Association in 2024. She’s also a voracious learner, earning a new professional credential every year since launching her business and appreciates high quality, engaging, well organized training -whether she’s the student or helping others grow.
As one of Canada’s early Certified Divorce Coaches, Dori embraced the opportunity to join Tracy and Debra at Divorce Coaches Academy to help lead the national growth of ADR-aligned divorce coaching in Canada. As a fierce advocate for the professional ethical practice of Divorce Coaching, she is committed to delivering DCA’s premier divorce coach training with a customized Canadian curriculum. Her role with DCA allows her to contribute to a solution far bigger than any single practice: a national movement to reduce the time, expense, and trauma of divorce for Canadian families.
What students have to say about the DCA divorce coach certification...
Leona Harvie,
Divorce Coach & Mediator, Let's Talk Divorce Canada
"The DCA ADR Divorce Coach Certification exceeded my expectations. The Canadian cohort and Canada-specific content filled a long-standing gap in my training and immediately elevated my practice. The frameworks, videos, and workbooks were clear, practical, and deeply relevant, and the hybrid model of self-directed learning, Q&As, and mentor coaching was incredibly effective. My mentor coach, Dori, was exceptional, and the program gave me new tools and confidence I continue to use every day. I strongly value the program’s alignment with ADR, which I believe is the healthiest path for separating families."
Leona Harvie,
Divorce Coach & Mediator, Let's Talk Divorce Canada
"The DCA ADR Divorce Coach Certification exceeded my expectations. The Canadian cohort and Canada-specific content filled a long-standing gap in my training and immediately elevated my practice. The frameworks, videos, and workbooks were clear, practical, and deeply relevant, and the hybrid model of self-directed learning, Q&As, and mentor coaching was incredibly effective. My mentor coach, Dori, was exceptional, and the program gave me new tools and confidence I continue to use every day. I strongly value the program’s alignment with ADR, which I believe is the healthiest path for separating families."
Leona Harvie,
Divorce Coach & Mediator, Let's Talk Divorce Canada
"The DCA ADR Divorce Coach Certification exceeded my expectations. The Canadian cohort and Canada-specific content filled a long-standing gap in my training and immediately elevated my practice. The frameworks, videos, and workbooks were clear, practical, and deeply relevant, and the hybrid model of self-directed learning, Q&As, and mentor coaching was incredibly effective. My mentor coach, Dori, was exceptional, and the program gave me new tools and confidence I continue to use every day. I strongly value the program’s alignment with ADR, which I believe is the healthiest path for separating families."
How Do You Know Who to Trust?
We get it. There's a lot of confusion out here about who's who in the world of divorce coach training and certification.That's because there is no single certifying organization.
No matter what you read, there is no government regulation, no one owns the title "Divorce Coach" and there is no established standard of practice. We say it's a bit like the Wild West and that makes it hard for you.It's up to you to do your research and find out who your program directors are, how long they've been practicing, how much real-world experience they have coaching clients going through divorce, and how connected they are to the current landscape of divorce.
Don't rely on words ... rely on experience. You can read more here.
Schedule a call today and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have about our curriculum, our credentials, or the world of divorce coaching certification.We want you to find the right fit, the right program and get set up for success.