It was earlier this year that we first heard the term “conscious uncoupling.” Actress Gwyneth Paltrow used this term when announcing her divorce from singer Chris Martin, to indicate that the split was amicable, and that the two were focused on continuing to co-parent their children.

Of course, the idea of collaborative divorce is nothing new. Buffalo couples who wish to minimize rancor and hurt feelings, and are able to work together, may be able to negotiate an uncontested divorce with the help of their divorce attorneys.

But for some people, a legal end to their marriage may not be enough. To move on, they may wish to have some sort of ceremony, similar to the way they had a marriage service. That is where a California woman who performs conscious uncoupling comes in.

According to the New York Daily News, the woman divorce ceremony includes burning of aromatic herbs, crystals and candles. The spouses symbolically remove their wedding rings, and participate in a “mutual forgiveness ritual.” This last part involves the spouses telling each other what they want the outcome of this ritual to be, then forgiving each other for their respective hurts.

This may sound too New Age-y for many readers, but one person who underwent the uncoupling ceremony not long ago said it was “very peaceful.” She said the ceremony was the first time she and her husband were able to really talk about what they were going through.

Though this woman does not live in New York State, the idea of a divorce ritual may appeal to many divorcing couples here. Many religions have traditions related to divorce that are separate from the legal process of dissolving a marriage.