Family Mediation Services

Mediation is a voluntary process involving a trained third party to assist two individuals to arrive at a mutually agreed upon settlement.  If you choose to enter into mediation, you retain total and exclusive control over the process and outcome.  Mediation only occurs with both parties’ consent and is a confidential process.  Mediation has the goal of empowering you with relevant information and options to proceed to negotiation. You will be negotiating about what you believe is best for your family and specifically your children.  It allows for the two people who know your children best; the parents; to form a parenting time agreement that fits the needs of your children and your family.  Conversely, the court does not know your child(ren) and may set an arbitrary plan with less input from parents.  Also, mediation typically costs 30-40% of what two parties will spend on a traditional divorce with separate attorneys. Lastly, protracted court battles over custody and parenting time encourage more conflict between parents, undermine ongoing successful coparenting, and risk the well being of children raised in such a high conflict environment.  Mediation has the potential to save you time, money, and emotional turmoil.

What to Expect

I provide the following mediation services:

• Mediating a parenting plan: may include a full plan with written document
• Mediating updates or modifications to an existing parenting plan or mediating a specific parenting issue
• Mediating non-financial family issues
• Co-mediation with an attorney mediator: a team approach where I assist with emotion management, communication, decision-making, and parenting issues

My role as mediator is to create a safe environment in which communication about the relevant issues can take place, assist with gathering what information is necessary to the issue at hand, thoroughly exploring and analyzing the information, and facilitating each person in effective negotiation.  In this way, differences between the parties in skills, information, and abilities will not interfere with both parties coming to successful outcomes.

The pace of the mediation and the content of the issues are decided by both parties. It is important that together with the mediator we evaluate progress toward your mediation goals.  

Each party is encouraged to consult with legal counsel and may also be encouraged to seek out other expert information.

Since an outcome cannot be reached without the agreement of both parties, you know that you will not complete mediation without an outcome that is acceptable to you.  

If a mediation agreement is reached, I will provide both parties with a written plan that can be shared with your attorney and used to complete necessary paperwork for the court.  If needed, I can also make referrals for further assessment, child custody evaluation, and/or other professionals to provide further information to assist you in the process.  

If you try mediation and decide that it does not meet your needs, you can still opt for a more traditional, adversarial, approach with attorneys and litigation.

I encourage you to visit the following links for helpful guides and materials to help parents create a parenting plan:

• Oregon Family Law Basic Parenting Plan Guide
• Parenting Plan guidance for children birth through three years of age at: Multnomah County Birth Through Three Plans