Long Island Collaborative Divorce Professionals, Islandia, NY (2025)

12/01/2025

Here's Everything DOGE Did That Affected The LGBTQ+ Community At Home And Abroad

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/11/DOGE-Is-Gone-Leaving-Behind-300000-Fired-Federal-Workers-600000-USAID-Deaths-More

The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) formerly spearheaded by Elon Musk has disbanded after just 10 months in operation, leaving millions of lives devastated in its wake.

How many federal employees did DOGE fire?

The Trump administration announced in August that it had fired about 300,000 federal workers. LGBTQ+ people accounted for 8 percent of all federal workers, with about 314,000 LGBTQ+ employees in the federal government at the time.

How did DOGE cut USAID spending?

The federal employees fired by DOGE included nearly 2,000 staff members of USAID in the complete dissolution of the U.S. humanitarian department. Data models estimate that over 640,000 people globally have died due to losing USAID support, at least two-thirds of them children.

How was DOGE involved in LGBTQ+ research cuts?

The Trump administration eliminated more than 270 grants through the National Institutes of Health totaling at least $125 million in unspent funds, specifically targeting research involving gender identity and sexual orientation or diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This included cutting programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveilling the HIV epidemic, and a specialized testing lab for drug resistance among sexually transmitted infections, including syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. It also eliminated $70 million in funds for the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network, dedicated to HIV prevention and treatment among teens and young adults.

Other grants cut by DOGE included:

$50,000 for assessing sexual health among LGTBQ+ Latinx youth in a rural community
$379,000 from the Department of Agriculture to educate transgender and BIPOC farmers in San Francisco
$620,000 for a pregnancy prevention program focused on transgender boys
$699,000 for research on cannabis use disorder among sexual minorities and gender diverse individuals
$740,000 for research into social networks among Black and Latino GBTQ+ men in New Jersey
$7.4 million for studies exploring the effect of the antibiotic doxycycline (a common STI treatment) on drug-resistant bacteria

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Ryan Adamczesky, advocate(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Google's Gemini

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

10/20/2025

'Choose Wisely': 11 Women On Their Biggest Marriage Regrets

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/10/Choose-Wisely-11-Women-On-Their-Biggest-Marriage-Regrets

Women in unhappy heterosexual marriages may fare worse than their husbands, according to the American Psychological Association.

That might be, they suggest, because women are more likely to stick with a distressing or difficult situation than men, possibly keeping their stress levels higher.

Here are some married women's greatest regrets about marriage.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Amy Glover, huffingtonpost(dot)co(dot)uk
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

10/06/2025

People In The Happiest Relationships Do 5 Things For Fun - They All Cost Nothing

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/10/People-In-The-Happiest-Relationships-Do-5-Things-For-Fun-They-All-Cost-Nothing

It can be hard to see other couples’ fancy vacations, expensive gifts for each other, and Michelin star dinner dates without feeling as though you aren’t doing enough to keep the spark alive in your own relationship.

Psychologist Mark Travers, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in relationships and who holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder, always encourages people to inject novelty into their relationship. Thankfully, fun comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and price-points. And often, the most meaningful forms cost $0.

Here’s what the happiest, most successful couples do for fun — that most others neglect.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Mark Travers, cnbc(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

09/29/2025

If You're Ready To Divorce, These 7 Questions Are Your Final Gut Check

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/9/If-Youre-Ready-To-Divorce-These-7-Questions-Are-Your-Final-Gut-Check

Saying "I do" is a big deal, but saying "I don't" can be just as life-changing. While marriage signifies a new chapter of shared life, divorce marks the end of that chapter and the beginning of a new, often challenging, journey.

Psychologist Dr. Joyce Fine, along with couples therapist Marni Feuerman and marriage coach Lesli Doares, discuss what questions and considerations to gut-check before signing a divorce decree.

Have you thoughtfully considered them all?

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Lesli Doares, Marni Feuerman & Dr. Joyce Fine, yourtango(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

09/22/2025

Psychology Says Couples Who Stay Together Never Ignore These 3 High-Risk Complaints From Their Partner

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/9/Psychology-Says-Couples-Who-Stay-Together-Never-Ignore-These-3-High-Risk-Complaints-From-Their-Partner

One of the most common clues that a couple is about to break up is when one partner stops complaining about something that matters to them because their previous complaints about it have been ignored.

They might stop complaining, but because the issue remains, they continue to accumulate resentments and/or drift emotionally until the relationship is in full crisis. To be clear, few ignored complaints are important or meaningful enough to cause a breakup, but some are.

In his more than twenty years of working with couples, Psychologist Guy Winch has identified three kinds of what he calls "high-risk complaints" — ones that are most likely to cause relationship erosion if they are habitually ignored.

Couples who stay together never ignore these 3 high-risk complaints from their partner...

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Guy Winch, yourtango(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

09/16/2025

Keeping the love alive in a relationship when you're too busy can be tricky but not impossible. It's all good talking about being in love, but how do you keep it alive?

If you want to become more compatible with your spouse, say hello to these habits...

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/9/If-You-Want-To-Become-More-Compatible-With-Your-Spouse-As-You-Get-Older-Say-Hello-To-These-6-Habits

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Melody Chadamoyo, yourtango(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

09/08/2025

8 Quiet Gestures That Speak Loudly In The Happiest Marriages

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/9/8-Quiet-Gestures-That-Speak-Loudly-In-The-Happiest-Marriages

You may think a happy marriage can thrive on love alone, but you would be surprised to know it takes much more than pure love to make a marriage work. People in the happiest marriages will tell you that quiet gestures are the ones that speak the loudest when it comes to love by showing acceptance, support and appreciation.

Successful marriages are the result of trust, friendship, communication, and, of course, compromise. Emotional connection in a long-term relationship is unsustainable under its momentum, you need to work at it every day.

If you are ready to build the happiest marriage possible, there are certain tried-and-true actions you can take right now — and for the rest of your life. Remember, they don't need to be showy. They can be quiet, as long as they are heart-felt.

Here are eight gestures that speak loudly in the happiest of marriages.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Moshe Ratson, yourtango(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

08/25/2025

This Family’s House Was Targeted With Hatred. So They Turned It Around In A Surprising Way

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/8/This-Family%E2%80%99s-House-Was-Targeted-With-Hatred-So-They-Turned-It-Around-In-A-Surprising-Way

After their home was vandalized with anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti, a family in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, turned the hateful message into one of love and pride.

Becky Willems woke up on the morning of August 11th to a text from her son, Sam, who found the words “family of f**s” spraypainted on their garage door as he left for work.

At the suggestion of their neighbor, rather than "fighting fire with fire", The Willemses painted over the anti-gay slur and added hearts and rainbows so that the message on their garage door now reads “Proud family of 2SLGBTQ+.”

The community’s response to the hateful message has been overwhelmingly positive. “We are proud of who we are, we’re proud of ourselves as a family and we’re proud of the 2SLGBTQ+ people in our family, in our community, and within our friends,” Willems told CTV News.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation Newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of John Russell, lgbtqnation(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Google's Gemini

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

08/18/2025

Supreme Court Formally Asked To Overturn Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/8/Supreme-Court-Formally-Asked-To-Overturn-Landmark-Same-Sex-Marriage-Ruling

Ten years after the Supreme Court extended marriage rights to same-sex couples nationwide, the justices this fall will consider for the first time whether to take up a case that explicitly asks them to overturn that decision.

Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for six days in 2015 after refusing to issue marriage licenses to a gay couple on religious grounds, is appealing a $100,000 jury verdict for emotional damages plus $260,000 for attorneys fees.

In a petition for writ of certiorari filed last month, Davis argues First Amendment protection for free exercise of religion immunizes her from personal liability for the denial of marriage licenses.

More fundamentally, she claims the high court's decision in Obergefell v Hodges -- extending marriage rights for same-sex couples under the 14th Amendment's due process protections -- was "egregiously wrong."

The petition appears to mark the first time since 2015 that the court has been formally asked to overturn the landmark marriage decision. Davis is seen as one of the only Americans currently with legal standing to bring a challenge to the precedent.

It's important to note that the Lower Courts have dismissed Davis' claims and most legal experts consider her bid a long shot. A federal appeals court panel concluded earlier this year that the former clerk "cannot raise the First Amendment as a defense because she is being held liable for state action, which the First Amendment does not protect."

If the ruling were to be overturned at some point in the future, it would not invalidate marriages already performed, legal experts have pointed out. The 2022 Respect for Marriage Act requires the federal government and all states to recognize legal marriages of same-sex and in*******al couples performed in any state -- even if there is a future change in the law.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Devin Dwyer, abcnews(dot)go(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

08/11/2025

If You Truly Understand These 10 Things About Relationships, You're A Rare Gem Of A Person

https://www.spiriolaw.com/The-Latest-News-Blog/2025/8/If-You-Truly-Understand-These-10-Things-About-Relationships-Youre-A-Rare-Gem-Of-A-Person

Widely known as one of the best books on relationships is Dr. George Pransky’s Relationship Handbook, originally published in 1991.

A lot of the advice still applies, even if it may confuse younger generations.

It's helped many couples sidestep common challenges in all relationships, including platonic ones, so they could enjoy the thrill of a powerful and long-lasting connection.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Alex Mathers, yourtango(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Google Gemini

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

07/22/2025

Innocent Behaviors That Are Actually Cheating In Disguise

Cheating isn’t always as obvious as physical intimacy with someone else. Many behaviors that appear innocent on the surface can actually represent forms of emotional or psychological infidelity that damage relationships just as deeply as physical affairs. These subtle betrayals often fly under the radar because they masquerade as normal social interactions or innocent friendships, making them particularly dangerous to committed relationships.

The challenge with these seemingly innocent behaviors lies in their gradual progression and the ease with which they can be rationalized. What starts as harmless interaction can slowly evolve into emotional intimacy that competes with or replaces the connection between romantic partners. Understanding these patterns helps couples recognize potential problems before they escalate into relationship-ending betrayals.

Here are 11 seemingly harmless actions can destroy trust and damage relationships.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of Tega Egwabor, rollingout(dot)com
Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

07/14/2025

10 Unexpected Realities Of Getting Divorced That Everyone's Afraid To Be Honest About

There are a few unexpected realities of getting divorced it wouldn't hurt to know as you sever your former "forever" relationship.

•It will affect your child

•Don't use friends for legal advice

•Make your divorce agreement as detailed as possible

•A new partner will be a new adjustment

•A new partner may change your ex

•It takes time to adjust to all the changed

•Be aware of imputed income

•Separation should be separation - period

•It's more common to do 50/50 custody these days

•Spending time together might be awful

No one can truly prepare you for divorce, but before you decide to end your marriage, talk to divorced people and educate yourself. That way, if you do take this road, you will be prepared as best as possible, for better or for worse.

Selected excerpt(s) and linked article courtesy of popsugar, yourtango(dot)com

Royalty-free photo courtesy of Pixabay

Concetta Spirio. A Compassionate Collaborative Divorce Attorney, Mediator & Peacemaker Providing The Highest Level of Legal Representation For Over 35 Years.

Long Island Collaborative Divorce Professionals

12/01/2025

10/20/2025

10/06/2025

09/29/2025

09/22/2025

09/16/2025

09/08/2025

08/25/2025

08/18/2025

08/11/2025

07/22/2025

07/14/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share