Providing Virtual Family Mediation services for families across Ontario.
Our services
Family Mediation
Family Mediation can help you and your former spouse navigate the process of separation and all of the decisions for your children. As a neutral third party, I will assist you in creating a parenting plan that addresses decision making, communication problems, and co-parenting issues. The mediator will act as a neutral third party and will help to define and communicate the issues that each parent would like to address in mediation. We will work together to explore different resolutions and will look to overcome obstacles and reach an agreement.
Mediation Process
1. Consultation
Reach out to us on our contact page or by email at hello@pathwaysmediation.ca to discuss the mediation process, the expected outcome and your personal reasons for wanting to participate. It is recommended that all parties seek legal advice prior to entering mediation. We provide a free 15 minute phone consultation.
From here, we will provide you with our Intake Form and Agreement to Mediate to sign off on if you would like to proceed to next steps.
2. Intake/Screening
We will schedule separate intake meetings with each party to go over suitability for mediation and to ensure each individual is in an even negotiating position. Screening for domestic violence, abuse, power imbalances and any safety concerns will happen throughout the entire mediation process.
3. Mediation
The mediation process will begin with individual sessions so each party can freely express their perspective and topics that they would like to address. Once individual sessions are complete, we will proceed to joint sessions or caucus sessions if needed. The mediator will work to facilitate discussion on the underlying issues, concerns and goals of each party. These topics may include parenting arrangements, decision making and child support. The goal of these sessions is to come to agreements on the topics of issue.
4. Final Review/Agreement
If an agreement is reached, we will draft a Memorandum of Understanding which is the Mediator’s documentation on the points of agreement reached between the parties. This document is not legally binding.
Each party should take the Memorandum of Understanding document to their lawyer for independent legal advice. At this point the process of drafting a legal Separation Agreement based on the Memorandum of Understanding begins with your lawyer.