Family Mediation

Family mediation is a process in which a mediator helps to resolve family disputes by working with the participants in a closed environment, with open conversation. The family mediator helps to improve - and in some cases, re-establish - communication between the family members. By encouraging understanding and focusing the participants on their individual and common interests, the family mediator helping them to explore options, make decisions, and reach their own agreement. JK & Associates family mediators work with the parties on all facets of family issues such as divorce, custody, child support, property settlements, finances, visitation with parents, grandparents, and/or step families. Family mediation gives the parties the opportunity to speak and be heard in a low pressure environment, where everyone can have all of their concerns addressed. Instead of simply going to a court of law without a previous mediation where the judge will make the decisions, with previous mediation the parties make the decisions and petition the court to make a ruling based on those decisions. This process is less stressful to everyone – especially children - and presents opportunity for the parties to move on to the next phase of their lives.

Mediation - A Valuable Option for Many Families

• increase the self-determination of participants and their ability to communicate
• promote the best interests of children
• reduce the economic and emotional costs associated with the resolution of family disputes

Situations can and do change in our lives; children get older, health issues arise, life changes affect family members, and decisions have to be made. By bringing a mediator into the discussion, the process can be much easier on all of the parties involved. JK & Associates mediators are trained to work with all kinds of family situations, including those who are experiencing severe family relationship issues. We take the time get to know our clients and will ask what can be difficult questions in order to fully understand the situation, and help you find resolution.

JK & Associates Mediators are:

• Qualified by training, experience and temperament and possess inter-personal skills
• Impartial and able to assist the participants in reaching their decisions voluntarily
• Able to secure pertinent information from the participants so that they can make informed decisions
• Aware of the impact of culture and diversity
• Aware of the developmental stages of children and take into account the best interests of children
• Able to identify families whose history includes domestic abuse
• Available when needed

Who can Benefit from Family Mediation?

• Mediation is open to anybody affected by family breakdown including separation, anxiety, divorce and dissolution of civil partnership.
• It is mostly used by parents or couples who are experiencing difficulties with agreeing to arrangements, regardless of age, race, nationality, sexuality, orientation, mobility, faith and other such factors.
• Mediation is also available to other family members, such as grandparents, who may be having difficulties over contact arrangements, or step-parents who would like to support their new partner.

Professional Family Mediators:

• Divorce with or without minor children
• Child custody and child support
• Parent/child reunifications
• Child guardianships
• Elder care concerns and Elder decision making
• Pre- and post-marital agreements
• Division of family assets and allocation; for trust funds and wills
• Sibling rivalries