Peter Fabish

Looking back, my entire life has led me to the privileged position of helping families move through challenging transitions in a healthy way.

First, something very personal. My family suffered a shattering transition when my mother took her life when I was eleven years old. Afterward, we lost contact with her extended family. My father raised me and my two brothers alone. I believe this experience molded and guided me toward a career helping families to experience smoother periods of change than I had growing up, even as they radically alter their family structure through divorce.

I became a lawyer in 1991, and have practiced law ever since. However, in 2003, I returned to school for my Masters in Counseling, as I deeply honor the role of lawyer as counselor. Although I don’t practice therapy as a lawyer/mediator, my clients lean on me as a trusted guide as they traverse difficult and uncertain territory.

After engaging in countless mediated settlements, I’ve come to realize that conflict is not to be feared and avoided at all costs—rather, it can often be a trustworthy compass to point individuals and couples to the issues they need to address to lead rich and fulfilling lives. Sometimes, it’s difficult for couples embroiled in conflict to have this perspective. It is my greatest satisfaction to help couples spin the straw of their seemingly-intractable differences into the gold of new ways of moving forward with their lives.

In the larger community, I am a past board member and President of the Boulder Interdisciplinary Counsel (BIDC), educating attorneys and mental health practitioners in family law. I formerly served as co-chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution section of Boulder Bar Association. To further support couples and families, I co-authored the book The Collaborative Divorce Advantage with my law partner John Hoelle.

My wife is the founder and executive director of a non-profit that teaches prison inmates how to develop meaningful relationships that support them to truly rehabilitate in prison, and to succeed when they get out. She and I are avid hikers, campers, and bikers, and maintain a regular practice of meditation and other grounding practices to support us in our professional and community lives.