Tag: preparation
What If We Don’t Reach Full Resolution?
People often judge mediation by one question: “Did we finish?” People often assume they’ll either walk out with every issue resolved or they’ll leave feeling like the process failed. In reality, mediation doesn’t work that way. Some families resolve every issue in a single session. Others leave with only a handful of agreements. Many fall… Read more
Tips for a More Productive Mediation Session
Before we talk about common misconceptions, I want to give you a few practical tips that make mediation smoother and more productive. Tip number one: come in with two or three priorities, not a full life story. It’s completely normal to have a lot to say. Most people do. But mediation moves faster when you’re… Read more
Can I Go Through Family Mediation Without an Attorney?
This is a topic that seems obvious but really isn’t. When I first went through my divorce, I immediately thought, Who’s my attorney, not What can be figured out in mediation. I didn’t understand that I control the process. I didn’t understand that I was supposed to not only participate, but make the decisions. I… Read more
What to Expect at Your First Mediation Session
If you’ve never been to mediation before, you’re probably filling in the blanks yourself. Maybe you’re picturing a courtroom without the judge. Maybe you’re wondering if you’ll spend two hours defending yourself. Maybe you’re worried the other person is going to dominate the conversation, or that you’ll be expected to make every decision on the… Read more
Record-Keeping for Mediation: What to Gather, What to Track, and How to Stay Organized
If paperwork is already stressing you out, this session helps simplify things. We’ll talk through what’s generally helpful to gather, what’s worth tracking, and how to stay organized for mediation — without turning it into a legal checklist or overwhelming system. Read more
What Mediation Can’t Do (and What People Secretly Wish It Would)
Every once in a while, someone walks into mediation hoping it’s about to perform a small miracle. I wish I could tell you it works that way. It doesn’t. The truth is, mediation has limits. Those limits aren’t flaws in the process. They’re part of what mediation is—and what it isn’t. So, let’s clear that… Read more
Common Myths About Family Mediation
One of the things I’ve noticed after years of mediating family cases is that people rarely walk into mediation with a blank slate. Long before the session begins, they’ve already formed an opinion about what mediation is going to be like. Sometimes those expectations come from an attorney. Sometimes they come from a friend who… Read more
Florida Man Mediation FAQs
Sometimes one person is ready to make a plan…and the other person is in what I call Florida Man Mode. Florida Man Mode isn’t about where you live. It’s my affectionate name for the moments when planning feels harder than hoping everything will somehow work itself out. By that, I mean someone who’s: If you’ve… Read more
Is Family Mediation Confidential?
One of the most common questions people ask before mediation is, “Will what I say be confidential?” It’s an important question because mediation is built around conversation. People want to know whether they can speak honestly, ask difficult questions, explore options, or acknowledge concerns without worrying that every statement will later be used against them.… Read more
Getting Ready for Mediation (Without Overthinking It)
If you’re preparing for mediation and your brain is already doing too much — this is for you. We’ll keep it simple: what to gather, what to think through, and how to show up prepared without spiraling. Read more
