An Alternative to Family Warfare
The end of a marriage or relationship is one of the very hardest times in anyone’s life. In the midst of such pain, many couples wrongly assume that they will never be able to settle their differences. All they can see is the conflict, not the way out of it. If they don’t find the right guide or process they may end up on the dangerous and costly path to family warfare and litigation.
What’s the Mediation Process?
Mediation sessions take place in my office, a neutral, safe location. I have extensive training in negotiation and conflict resolution techniques. My role is to ensure that the process remains respectful and works to develop win-win solutions that might not otherwise occur to the parties.
You maintain complete control. You wouldn’t ask a stranger to buy a house for you. Even if you listed all the characteristics you wanted, there would be a lot of details you would consider but couldn’t possibly fully communicate. Why would you let a stranger decide where your children live or how to divide your property during divorce? During litigation, a judge you don’t know imposes a solution on your family. Mediation is a completely voluntary process where those with the best information — the family members — design agreements tailored to their particular needs.
If at any point the process stops working for your family, you can simply withdraw. After you reach a full agreement, Court is a formality. Once a couple reaches a mediated settlement, the court process simply rubber-stamps those agreements so they become legally enforceable. To learn more about mediation, read the Mediation FAQs or contact me for a free consultation.
