Highland Park, Illinois

Divorce doesn't have to
be a battle.

Sasha von Varga, LCSW brings over 30 years of clinical expertise to divorce mediation, collaborative coaching, and child advocacy — helping families navigate one of life's most difficult transitions with dignity and clarity.

LCSW CDI IACP AFCC NASW

MSW, Loyola University · 30+ Years Clinical Practice

How can I help you today?

🏠

I'm Going Through a Divorce

Learn how mediation can help you reach a fair agreement — without a courtroom.

→

⚖️

I'm a Legal Professional

Family law attorneys: discover how Collaborators, Inc. complements your practice.

→

🌿

I'm a Therapist or Counselor

Mental health professionals: see how mediation supports your clients' healing.

→

What Is Mediation?

You keep the decisions — I help you make them together.

Divorce mediation is a voluntary, confidential process where both parties work with a neutral professional to reach agreements on property, finances, parenting, and more. Unlike litigation, you stay in control. I don't decide anything for you — I help you find solutions that both of you can actually live with.

"Most couples don't need a judge. They need a skilled guide who understands both the legal landscape and the emotional one."

How I Help

Everything you need, in one place.

🤝

Divorce Mediation

Structured sessions that move you toward durable agreements on parenting, property, and finances — without court.

💬

Collaborative Coaching

I help you communicate more effectively during the process, reducing conflict and protecting your children from the crossfire.

👶

Child Specialist Services

As a trained Collaborative Child Specialist, I give your children a voice in the process — age-appropriately and safely.

📋

Parenting Plans

We build practical, child-centered plans that reflect your family's real life — not a generic template.

The Process

Clear steps. No surprises.

01

Free Initial Consultation

We talk through your situation, answer your questions, and assess whether mediation is a good fit for your circumstances.
02

Gather Information

We identify the key issues — assets, debts, parenting, support — and organize what we'll need to work through.
03

Mediation Sessions

We work through each issue in a series of structured sessions at a pace that fits your needs.
04

Memorandum of Understanding

Once complete, your agreements are documented and passed to your attorneys to formalize.

Why Collaborators, Inc.

30 years of knowing what families need.

Sasha von Varga holds an MSW from Loyola University and has spent over 30 years working with children, teens, adults, couples, and families. He combines deep clinical training with specialized expertise in divorce mediation and collaborative practice — bringing both the emotional intelligence and the structural know-how that complex family transitions require.

CDI Member IACP Member AFCC Member NASW Member

The Case for Mediation

Your clients resolve more. Your caseload moves faster.

When clients come to you having already worked through mediation, negotiations are shorter, conflicts are lower, and agreements are more durable. Mediation doesn't replace your counsel — it creates better-prepared clients who are ready to finalize rather than litigate.

"A mediated client arrives at your desk with clarity about what they want — and why. That's a better starting point for everyone."

What I Offer Your Practice

Substantive support at every stage.

⚖️

Divorce Mediation

Structured negotiation on property, finances, and parenting — producing a memorandum of understanding ready for your review.

🤝

Collaborative Divorce Coaching

As a trained collaborative coach, I help parties communicate constructively — reducing the friction that stalls your process.

👶

Child Specialist

In collaborative cases involving children, I serve as the neutral child specialist — ensuring kids' voices are heard safely.

🎓

Professional Training

I offer training in collaborative practice frameworks for attorneys looking to deepen their collaborative law skill set.

Why Refer Here

Credentials your clients — and you — can trust.

✓

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

30+ years of clinical experience with individuals, couples, and families — including high-conflict dynamics.
✓

Trained in Collaborative Practice

CDI, IACP, and AFCC member with formal training in collaborative divorce coaching and child specialist roles.
✓

Process-Oriented, Not Adversarial

My approach is structured and goal-driven. I keep sessions moving and help parties stay focused on resolution.
✓

Respectful of Legal Roles

I understand the boundaries between mediation and legal counsel. I never provide legal advice — and I actively encourage clients to work with their attorneys.

Professional Affiliations

Active in the collaborative community.

Sasha is an active member of the collaborative divorce and family law professional community, holding memberships that reflect both clinical and legal practice standards.

CDI IACP AFCC NASW

The Clinical Perspective

Your client is in therapy. Divorce is complicating everything.

When clients are going through a divorce while in therapy, the legal and financial stress often bleeds into every session. Mediation can reduce that background noise — giving them a structured path forward that frees up emotional bandwidth for the therapeutic work that matters.

"When the conflict has a container, the healing has room to happen."

What I Offer Your Clients

Structured support that complements treatment.

🌿

Trauma-Informed Mediation

I bring 30 years of clinical training to every mediation — meaning I'm equipped to hold space for the emotional dimension, not just the legal one.

🤝

Collaborative Coaching

As a collaborative divorce coach, I help parties develop communication tools that reduce conflict — and reinforce the work they're doing in therapy.

👶

Child Specialist Services

I serve as a neutral child specialist in collaborative cases, giving children a safe voice while protecting them from parental conflict.

🔗

Clear Referral Boundary

I never take on a therapeutic role with your client. The boundary between mediation coaching and clinical therapy is always maintained.

When to Refer

Signs your client might be ready for mediation.

→

Legal stress is overwhelming sessions

When the uncertainty of the divorce process is consuming your client's emotional resources, mediation can create clarity and reduce that load.
→

Children are caught in the middle

When parenting conflict is harming the children, a structured process with a trained child specialist can shift the dynamic significantly.
→

Both parties are willing to cooperate

Mediation works best when both parties are open to negotiation — even if they're struggling. High-conflict doesn't necessarily rule it out.
→

Client wants to avoid litigation

When a client is motivated to keep things out of court, mediation gives them a real alternative — and a sense of agency over the outcome.
→

Both parties are not cooperating

When high-conflict is winning, referring them for divorce "coaching" can help de-escalate the dynamic and build the foundation for productive communication.

A Clinician Who Gets It

You're not referring to a stranger to clinical work.

Sasha von Varga is an LCSW with an MSW from Loyola University and over 30 years of clinical experience working with children, teens, adults, couples, and families — using psychodynamic, CBT, relationship-based, and mindfulness approaches. He understands the therapeutic context because he's lived it. Referring to Collaborators, Inc. means your client works with someone who speaks your language.

LCSW Licensed NASW Member IACP Member CDI Member AFCC Member

Divorce doesn't have to be a battle.