Family Mediation 

Mediation is a unique process that involves working with parents to resolve conflicts that arise in the midst of a separation, divorce, or custody dispute.  With private family mediation, one works with parents to develop a collaborative parenting plan that is in the best interest of their child(ren). As an experienced mediator and therapist, I help parents look at all the options and guide them to develop a family plan that they feel comfortable to implement.  Parents know their children better than the courts, and when they have a part in the development of the family plan, the chances of successful follow-through is greater. A family plan can include a timeshare, holiday schedule, summer/vacation schedule with guidelines, health issues, and other pertinent issues as they arise within  each family.

 

The process of  mediation can also consist of interviewing the children, collateral contacts with the parents consent in addition to meeting with the parents. Ideally mediators would like to meet with the parents together, however with high conflict families, this is not always possible.  Furthermore, when there is a restraining order involved, the mediators need to assure that the parents meet separately and that each parent’s concerns and needs are heard and treated with respect.