Mediation supports families through separation and divorce
With increased public awareness and support from Ontario courts, many people are seeing the benefits of choosing to use mediation for their separation and divorce. Mediation is an effective and efficient approach to resolving legal issues. Mediation allows each party to maintain control over the resolution process and to do so with much less cost and much less conflict than is typically associated with going to court.
Why Mediation is a better choice for families in transition
Mediation for divorce, often referred to as family mediation, is a dispute resolution process that provides many benefits to couples and families that are not available within the traditional adversarial divorce model. A successful, comprehensive mediation can often be achieved in two or three short sessions and the parties often split the fees evenly.
Mediation helps families resolve issues in a timely way that focuses on the best interests of their children.
When couples separate and/or divorce it can be a stressful time for both partners and their children. Mediation supports family relationships. Mediation goes beyond making a deal to helping people better understand one another and how they can meet the needs of their children.
Family mediation is often a less time consuming, less costly and less conflictual process than going to court.
The mediation process is tailored to each person’s needs and is suitable for most people going through a separation. It is not necessary for people to be amicable with one another when coming in to mediation. The mediator's role is to get people speaking in productive ways with one another. Flexibility in mediation means it can work with high conflict or amicable couples at any stage of the process. It is a common misconception that mediation is only for couples who are on friendly terms with one another. Mediators are trained in facilitating conversations through conflict and have the ability to keep parties on task of building agreements that satisfy everyone's interests.
Mediation helps families resolve issues in a timely way that focuses on the best interests of their children.
When couples separate and/or divorce it can be a stressful time for both partners and their children. Mediation supports family relationships. Mediation goes beyond making a deal to helping people better understand one another and how they can meet the needs of their children.
Family mediation is often a less time consuming, less costly and less conflictual process than going to court.
The mediation process is tailored to each person’s needs and is suitable for most people going through a separation. It is not necessary for people to be amicable with one another when coming in to mediation. The mediator's role is to get people speaking in productive ways with one another. Flexibility in mediation means it can work with high conflict or amicable couples at any stage of the process. It is a common misconception that mediation is only for couples who are on friendly terms with one another. Mediators are trained in facilitating conversations through conflict and have the ability to keep parties on task of building agreements that satisfy everyone's interests.
Mediators are trained to work with people in conflict and can even help people who are not on speaking terms, reach a fair and well informed settlement.
Mediation is very accommodating in how the process unfolds and is adaptable to meet each person’s unique needs, unlike the court system, which is ridged and often inflexible. Many mediators are either family lawyers, social workers or other mental health professionals with additional training in the field of alternative dispute resolution.
Most mediators work alone on mediations; however some mediation firms offer co-mediation and utilize two mediators from different backgrounds on each mediation. This specialty service is ideal as it increases access to a diverse range of skills and allows for greater flexibility in how disputes are approached and resolved.
Mediation can be used to create or amend a separation agreement, parenting plan or memorandum of understanding.
Family mediation is a voluntary process where well trained professionals are able to help people identify and resolve issues. During mediation there is an opportunity to rebuild relationships when each person is able to hear, with the help of a neutral third party, what is attempting to be communicated.
Most issues can be mediated at any stage of the separation process.
Most mediators work alone on mediations; however some mediation firms offer co-mediation and utilize two mediators from different backgrounds on each mediation. This specialty service is ideal as it increases access to a diverse range of skills and allows for greater flexibility in how disputes are approached and resolved.
Mediation can be used to create or amend a separation agreement, parenting plan or memorandum of understanding.
Family mediation is a voluntary process where well trained professionals are able to help people identify and resolve issues. During mediation there is an opportunity to rebuild relationships when each person is able to hear, with the help of a neutral third party, what is attempting to be communicated.
Most issues can be mediated at any stage of the separation process.