Sometimes, divorce is inevitable, but no two divorces are ever alike.

Working with an experienced and dedicated divorce mediator or co-mediators can help you through the full divorce process, to craft a customized settlement agreement that will truly work for you and for your family.  Mediation can also be used effectively to focus in on one or two important issues (i.e.- a temporary parenting schedule, planning for a change in one or both of your living situations, settling co-parenting disagreements, etc.) to come to resolution before or after your divorce.  Whichever you choose, mediation is a gentler and more private process that considers ALL of your family members’ needs, moves at a pace that works for you, and can help you through and beyond the divorce transition.

Client Participation and Communication

Only a small percentage of the decisions you will need to make prior to or during the divorce process are based strictly on laws, so client communication and participation is essential and drives the work during every phase of the Divorce Mediation Strategies divorce process. We assist our clients in maximizing their ability to participate by asking questions, listening to the answers, and then helping them to communicate their genuine interests and values. We help clients create options and opportunities they might not have otherwise considered and assist them to create agreements that meet individual as well as family based needs. This is accomplished in a safe, private, and gentle environment designed to help our clients address all of the issues from the simplest to the most complex or challenging as comfortably as possible.

Divorce Mediation Strategies provides Mediation and Co-Mediation services to clients.

One or more of our team of expert staff (a Mediator/Licensed Psychotherapist, a Mediator/Family Law Attorney and/or a Family Law Consulting Attorney) will assist you in negotiating through all of the legal, emotional, and psychological aspects of the transition from married to divorced for each of you (and for your children) in a comfortable and private setting.

You can choose to work with a Single Mediator/Licensed Psychotherapist, along with a Family Law Attorney Consultant to draft your agreements and documents) or with two Co-Mediators (one co-mediator who is also a licensed psychotherapist and a second co-mediator, who is also an attorney). Please know that whether you have selected the Single Mediator or the Co-mediation model, when 2 professionals are both present and working for you at mediation sessions or conferencing together behind the scenes, (enabling you to benefit from the skills and expertise of both), you will participate in a more effective divorce process designed to help you both come to resolution as amicably and efficiently as possible.

Our Unique and Powerful 4 Phase Mediation Process (whether you choose to work with 2 mediators (co-mediation) or 1 mediator and a family law attorney consultant (to create your legal separation agreement and other documents) includes:

  1. Pre-Mediation Planning Phase
  2. Mediation Meeting Phase
  3. Post-Mediation Settlement Finalization Phase
  4. Post-Divorce Follow up

We provide an opportunity for you to Meet our Team:

  • Initial Consultation. We introduce potential clients to our mediation team, provide information regarding mediation, divorce, and the Divorce Mediation Strategies Four Phase Process, provide opportunities for you to have your most important questions answered.

1. Pre-Mediation Meeting Phase

After having selected Divorce Mediation Strategies, clients meet individually with one of our Mediators for a private planning/intake session focused on:

  • Fact Gathering: The Who, What, Where, and Why of your particular situation
  • Individual Goal Setting and Identification of Issues of Interest
  • (If applicable) Parenting Plan Key Issue Identification
  • (If applicable) Preliminary Family Re-Organization Planning
  • Family and Individual System Wellness Check Up
  • Massachusetts State Mandatory Parenting Class Resource Information

2. Mediation Meeting Phase:

During our first meeting, all clients read and sign a Mediation Participation Agreement and the interests of both spouses, their children, and the issues at hand are identified and prioritized.

  • A financial Statement Tutorial session is scheduled to assist you in creating your mandatory financial statements
  • A series of subsequent 2 hour mediation meetings is scheduled
  • Mediation Meetings continue to occur until all important issues have been identified, understood, discussed, and resolved
  • Agreement summaries are written and reviewed to insure for accuracy and clarity
  • If needed, homework is assigned and due at the following meeting in order to keep the process forward moving and productive
  • Communications and ‘check-ins’ occur between meetings, as needed.

3. Post-Mediation Settlement Finalization Phase

During this phase, a divorce (separation) agreement outlining a complete listing of all of the important issues that have been agreed upon is drafted, revised, and approved by our clients. This phase also includes:

  • Review and discussion of the  agreement first draft
  • Revisions/fine tuning by clients and the mediation team
  • Agreement Approval
  • Court Process Planning which includes Preparation of All Materials Needed by Clients for Court Approval and Tutorial on the Court Process
  • Closing Session: Agreement Signing and Notarization

4. Post Divorce Follow up

Three to six months after the finalization of your divorce, a member of our team will contact each of you for a brief ‘check in’ to determine how the agreement and the parenting plan are working for you and your family and identify any areas that might need adjusting, over time.

We believe the Divorce Mediation process we offer is superior–more efficient, more complete, and gentler. We dedicate and pride ourselves on crafting complete separation agreements that work well for our clients and for their children.