Some of you are already headed down a more peaceful road considering a “kitchen table” divorce.  You picked up the paperwork from the courthouse.  The pile of papers looks daunting.  A mediator can help guide you through the process for a very affordable price.  The total cost for most non-attorney mediators is usually less than the retainer for one attorney.

You might think, “we can’t agree on anything, I am not sure a mediator can help us.”  That is precisely the job of a good mediator.  The skills and training of a mediator can often bring two people to agreement when they both thought it quite impossible.  Even when parties come to impasse, or they can’t agree, the thought of thousands of dollars in attorney fees and court costs helps them come back to the table.

Creating a peaceful divorce is critical if children are involved of any age.  Even adult children can be powerfully affected by the divorce of parents.  A mediator works hard to maintain or even improve the relationship between parents through the divorce process.  Post divorce training on how to conduct good parent meetings is available to assist parents in staying focused on the children.  When parents maintain communication and bitterness is absent, the children win.  That is what mediators work for – a win, win settlement.   And, although divorce is never a win, a mediator seeks to find a resolution in which both parties can move forward in the best possible finical and emotional health.

Nobody wishes for a divorce.  It is one of the most difficult emotional and financial processes anyone can face.  However, you do have choices in how to move through the process.  I would encourage you to consider a peaceful divorce.  Genesis Mediation helps to create a little peace on earth each day, and. one of those areas is creating peaceful divorces.

If people desire help with a professional who remains neutral, a non-attorney mediator is a good option.  Most, like myself, have a mental health background, and can assist with the delicate and difficult conversations necessary in divorce.  Non-attorney mediators will usually be less expensive than attorney mediators.  Attorney rates are usually substantially higher than non-attorney mediators.  I often save people between $7,000 and $10,000 even with a non-contested divorce.  If people become adversarial, I can save them closer to $50,000.

Mediators help to turn the temperature down in a conflict.  If you believe some subjects will be quite volatile, an experienced mediator can help parties reach agreement with a minimal amount of drama.  Drama and conflict cost money.  The more you fight, the more your attorneys will make.  Aggressive attorneys will fight for you.  And, you will pay for it.

There is a time and place for attorneys.  Attorneys are often consulted during mediation.  Clients find it helpful to know where boundaries within the law fall and what might be an outcome if their case went to litigation.  I only refer clients to collaborative attorneys with specific training.  This aids parties to remain within the mediated context and resolve issues without court intervention.  In a full collaborative case, each party retains an attorney and I act as facilitator.  This is still less expensive than working only with attorneys.  You are paying two attorneys fees per hour compared to my lower fee that is split between parties.

There are some cases that justify litigation.  You may be in an abusive relationship.  Your partner only responds to legal pressure.  Your partner may be hiding assets or withholding funds to pay bills.  This requires usually requires swift legal action.

If you have specific questions, just give me a call.  I give a FREE 15 minute phone consultation.  503.352.9447