Family & Personal Mediation
All interpersonal relationships have conflict.
Families and other intimate relationships are complex. Our needs and desires don’t always mesh easily. Unforeseen challenges can force plans to change. The closer we are to a person, the more conflict with them causes us pain. Just because conflict can hurt, doesn’t mean that it is necessarily a negative thing. All growth requires some conflict. The way we navigate conflicts and resolve them can lead to a stronger relationship, and/or a stronger self. I can help you turn conflict into an opportunity for growth. See below for the specific areas where I have expertise and can help.
Marriage & Relationship
Lifetime partnerships are hard. They are also incredibly rewarding. Challenges will arise and you will not always handle them with grace. Unresolved conflict puts an ever increasing strain on the relationship and can effect all aspects of your lives.
I am a firm believer in partnership as a team with a mission of overcoming challenges, meeting shared goals and supporting each other's growth and happiness. The better the team is at managing conflict, the more success it will have in achieving the team’s mission. Using mediation to address a specific issue with your partner can bring immediate peace and helps to set the tone for handling future challenges.
I have helped many partnerships learn to work together with grace.
Divorce
Divorce is painful. There are significant costs: stress, time, money, and the potential emotional damage done to all involved (particularly children). Mediation minimizes all of these costs. Mediation eliminates the added layer of stress created by courts and adversarial lawyers. It works on your schedule to get through this stressful time and on to rebuilding your life. A mediated divorce is roughly 10% of the cost of an adversarial divorce. I have helped couples (including myself!) navigate thier parting in a more peaceful way that honors the relationship that was.
I am not a lawyer - I am an entrepreneur turned peacebuilder. I have a rich understanding of the value of assets. I am skilled at facilitating negotiation effectively and efficiently. I create a safe space to move through this painful process in tune with the emotional needs of both parties.
Post-Divorce Co-Parenting
Your divorce settlement will not address significant issues. How will you deal with friends and family? How will you effectively co-parent? How will you integrate step-parents into your children's upbringing? There will be changes and challenges that you didn't anticipate - how will you manage changing schedules, discipline, and the evolving emotional needs of your children? For the sake of everyone's mental well-being, it is imperative that you navigate these situations with care. Mediation can be a great way to address a specific issue and to set the tone for future negotiations.
Teen / Young Adult Conflict
I had a very rough childhood and came close to ruining my future in my teens due to poor decisions. I managed to turn my whole life around. I knew hundreds of other teens who went through similar things. Because I made it through such a tough time, I have a deep understanding and empathy for the struggles of young people in our society. I know their language and the conflicts that they face. I am also a parent to twin girls who are now in their early 20s, so I understand both sides well.
Mediation can be a great way to address a specific issue. The process is one that treats the child with a degree of respect and helps them take responsibility for their actions, feelings and needs. It provides a safe space for the family to to ensure that each of you is heard and understood. Mediating a specific issue with your child can bring immediate resolution and helps to set the tone for future negotiations.
Elder Care & Family Responsibility
Family dynamics and relationship issues involving a senior can be complex and include:
• Challenges around aging and end of life
• Division of care responsibility among family members
• Trust and estate matters
• Senior's living situations, including assisted living and long-term care facilities
Family relationships are complex and important. A mediated settlement that addresses everyone's interests helps to preserve and strengthen relationships.
General Family & Friend Disputes / Estrangement
Emotions often run high in families and close friendships. Primarily because we invest so much in these relationships. The past is a complex foundation and there are expectations for the future. With so much riding on these relationships, conflicts are to be expected.
Mediation provides a safe space for voicing feelings, interests and needs in ways that are constructive. Calm negotiation of specific issues can strengthen close relationships and bring loved ones together rather than tear them apart.