Mediation helps your family clear the fog of a conflict with an unbiased party, the mediator, helping you talk together to reach an agreement. Most people find mediation a less stressful and less expensive experience than the legal system. At O’Keeffe FMC, our goal is to foster better connections by encouraging better communication.
Mediation can be a helpful way to resolve conflict out of the legal system for a variety of situations. If you would like to explore mediation for a conflict occurring in your life, contact me to discuss your situation.
Mediation is an out of court process that allows people to resolve a conflict with the help of a neutral person, the mediator. The goal of a mediation is for the people involved to resolve the conflict with an agreement with terms mutually agreed upon by everyone involved. The mediation process is private, confidential and out of court.
Mediation can work for any type of conflict that people struggle with. For families, the typical conflicts involve:
Parenting, relationships, businesses, parent-teen, teen-teen, post-divorce mediation, parenting plans, financial issues.
O’Keeffe FMC mediation occurs virtually, on zoom. This allows all people involved to not worry about commuting or being in the same physical room as the people they are in the conflict with.
The mediation process occurs in stages.
The first stages occur premeditation with a brief intake to get basic information and pick a date. Once the date is picked, we’ll send all parties a zoom link and information about zoom mediation and how to log on. During the intake session, everyone will sign an agreement to participate so everyone will be on the same page that everyone has agreed to mediate the conflict and agrees to the confidentiality of the process.
The mediation typically lasts 1-3 hours. A typical mediation involves a general session where everyone meets together and a private session where each person meets with the mediator alone. Most mediations also involve a break if needed so everyone can get a snack and stretch.
If an agreement is reached, the mediator will help write the agreement for everyone to sign.
The court system is time consuming and expensive. In addition, lawyers take sides. There is a great deal of stress and time involved with courts. While this option is sometimes necessary for some conflicts, mediation allows for a smoother, more peaceful resolution for most conflicts and is much more cost efficient. It also allows people to come to a resolution together without being forced into a resolution by a 3rd party. The mediator is neutral and helps the people in the conflict work to the resolution together.
Mediation is not a legal proceeding so a lawyer is not typically part of the mediation process. As this is a private mediation, any agreement reached will not be filed in court and will be confidential between the people involved. You are, of course, encouraged to consult a lawyer for advice before the mediation if you feel that is necessary.
Mediation is a big decision. You can get more information by scheduling a free 30minute session by clicking here.
Mediation is $250/session. We will talk more about mediation fee and payment during the intake process.
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