Emilie J.’s story

international relocation

Emilie contacted me because she wanted to move back to France with her children, but her ex husband was refusing to engage in any meaningful discussion. What initially felt like a complete deadlock required patience, structure and a clear focus on the children’s wellbeing.

Together, we worked through an escalation ladder, gradually moving through new options to reach an agreement, while keeping conflict under control and avoiding court. We leveraged my Long-distance parenting plan template to document tiered proposals that aligned with both her and her ex husband’s priorities, while keeping the children firmly at the centre. The process involved nearly a year of direct negotiations and mediations, with several moments where it seemed we had reached deadlocks.

By focusing on balanced and creative solutions — including how time could be re-balanced through holidays and longer stays — we were able to move away from a seemingly binary “yes or no” international relocation question. This careful and managed approach ultimately led to an agreement that allowed Emily to relocate to France successfully, while preserving a workable and child-focused co-parenting arrangement.

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