Mediation



Mediation is a way to amicably deal with conflict relating to family disputes, marriage dissolution, co-parenting and many other issues. Issues commonly addressed in mediation include:

  • Pre- and post-marital agreements
  • Dissolution of marriage/separation/divorce
  • Domestic partnerships
  • Stepfamily blending
  • Custody/coparenting plans
  • Sibling disputes
  • Inheritance planning/discussions
  • Parents and grown children conflict

As a Private Confidential Mediator, I function as a neutral facilitator, helping all parties come to a fair and equitable agreement. As a Mediator/Psychotherapist, I work collaboratively with an Attorney who is knowledgable in California state law. This allows participants to feel confident in understanding the legal ramifications and possible alternatives to the decisions they make.

Couples Mediation

If you are thinking of getting divorced and don’t know where to start, a consultation with a Mediator/Psychotherapist is a good beginning. Divorces are scary and sad, but unfortunately necessary at times. I have helped many couples restructure their families and preserve positive relationships with children.

I will assist you in communicating clearly and maintaining focus on your goals. If you have children, you will most likely have questions about how to tell them, who should tell them, how much they need to know, and when to involve them in the process.

I consult with you as a couple to help you make the right decision for your changing family dynamics. I will guide you in separating your negative feelings toward your spouse from their role as a co-parent to your children. This will allow you to make decisions that are best suited for your children and therefore make the transition into separate households as smooth as possible.

1. Prenuptial agreements are meant to make the break up easier but they often introduce added stress and resentment into an otherwise loving relationship. Mediation can help to keep the prenuptial agreement in perspective and facilitate the difficult discussion about a future neither party wants to consider.

2. Sometimes couples don’t want to enter couples counseling because their marriage feels strong, but they have a specific problem that they feel stuck in resolving. Mediation is a perfect solution to resolve gridlock situations quickly.

3. Post-divorce mediation is the logical answer to work out disagreements with your ex when couples therapy seems like an uncomfortable option. Post-divorce mediation can address important issues that might not have been necessary to address earlier in the process, like how and when to introduce a new partner to children, navigating grandparents, plans to relocate and many more unexpected issues that often occur after divorce is final.

Family Mediation

Families often find themselves polarized by conflicts that they cannot resolve on their own. Because families are complex and unique, numerous issues occur within intact families that can be positively worked through and resolved with mediation. Here are a few issues that are commonly worked through in mediation:

1.  Disputes that might arise out of an inheritance situation, where beneficiaries are aggrieved.

2.  Elder mediation. I help families make short- and long-term care decisions for their elderly or disabled family members.

3. Family business issues such as draw, participation, and structure.

Co-Parenting

As a parent coordinator, I help develop co-parenting strategies with children being the focus. Disagreements such as rules, schedules and payments can often be resolved quickly and efficiently with proper guidance and management of emotions.

  1. Establishing a physical custody plan taking into consideration parents’ availability
  2. Creation of re-occuring weekly time share schedule
  3. Setting up a balanced holiday/vacation schedule
  4. Identifying and implementation effective co-parenting strategies
  5. Consultation with attorneys as needed

For skilled mediation services, contact us today.

*Please note: Marina Edelman, LMFT is not a custody evaluator, and will not make recommendations regarding custody as a result of her work with you and/or your family.