Family mediation services are designed to provide you and your family with a safe space in which to resolve disagreements. The mediator is there to facilitate the discussion, ensuring that all points of view are heard and understood, and finding common ground for agreement.
Often, conflict arises around issues that involve separation and divorce, child custody, parenting schedules, access and visitation rights, alimony or support payments, property division and elder care. In addition to assisting with the legal aspects of these issues, the mediator will also work with participants to help them define their needs and find solutions that they can both agree upon.
The goal is to create a framework for positive future interactions. It is not uncommon for a family who enters mediation embroiled in extreme tension to end their session reminiscing about shared, happy family memories. This can be a very healing experience, and a significant departure from the adversarial process of litigation.
It is important for participants to remain flexible and open to a wide range of possibilities. The mediator will help them to explore assumptions about reality and defenses that are internalized from childhood, which may contribute to the dysfunctional patterns of behavior they are experiencing. The mediator will also teach them interpersonal communication skills, helping to reduce the intensity of conflict and the amount of stress involved. Ultimately, family mediation is typically 20-50% less stressful and faster than traditional litigation. Parties have the opportunity to alert the Mediator prior to mediation if they have safety concerns, and it is possible to hold separate sessions or “remote” mediations by phone or zoom.