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Mediation is a way of resolving disputes and difficult issues between separating couples. Mediators can help with all the issues faced by separating couples, or you can choose to use mediation to resolve specific issues such as arrangements for your children. Mediators are trained to help people resolve disputes. A mediator will meet with you and your partner together and will identify those issues you can’t agree on and help you to try and reach agreement. Mediators are neutral and will not take sides. They are not advisors and will not give advice to either of you and will recommend that you obtain legal advice alongside the mediation process. Mediators can provide broadly based legal information to both of you within the mediation if this is appropriate. Once you have proposals you both find acceptable the mediator will prepare a summary of them together with a summary of the financial information which will be sent to each of you to discuss with your lawyers. After you have both received legal advice and if you are both still happy with the proposals, the lawyers will convert the summary into a legally binding document and carry out any necessary implementation.

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June 20, 2011 – Howard H. Irving, PhD. writes about the devastation he sees amongst children of divorce when parents decide to use the adversarial system to resolve their marriage disputes.   He acknowledges that the first instinct is for parents to lay blame and find fault with the other, but that when we take a step back it is likely not the best avenue for the children if we take this approach.

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March 25, 2011 – Erin Anderssen starts the article with “Love is grand… Divorce is 100 grand…”  Doesn’t that say it all? Actually, that’s not necessarily the case these days with options other than a messy, nasty divorce.  The writer summarizes the evolution of divorce law in Canada, and recounts that there are better options nowadays for resolving disputes in a time of divorce.

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July 26, 2010 – Karina Bland interviews some former couples who used alternatives to the court system in their divorce – some used mediation, some used the Collaborative Process, and others just used the DIY way.  She also outlines some reasons to choose alternatives – amongst them, setting a positive tone for your children.