At the end of our initial free consultation, clients often express how relieved they feel. Most of the time, people are anxious when they start this process. Rightfully so, especially because they have heard horror stories about litigated divorce. However, mediation is an all-around different process. I will not try to convince you that your divorce will not be emotionally taxing or that you will not still have moments of anxiety, but the feedback I’ve received from previous clients is that we do makes it easier, lighter, and I have even been told our process can be enjoyable!
Mediation Versus Litigation
We are not here to hide the ball and make it seem as though this vortex of dissolution is something mere mortals cannot understand (if you have tried going through attorneys, you know what I mean). It is as though the court system wants to make sure you feel your money was well spent so they make everything as difficult as possible so you believe you could have NEVER done this on your own. Does it really have to be that hard? That mysterious? At San Diego Family Mediation Center, we don’t think so! We have worked hard to ensure our process is as comfortable for you and your family as possible. We think about working together holistically and never forget that we are working with a family; a group of people who love each other, but for whatever reason need to re-organize and restructure. Our goal is for you to leave your first meeting with us feeling relieved and safe. We want you to be confident in your choice of having us help you through this process and we strive to keep that confidence during and after the process.
Once a client, always a client. We are here to answer questions as life’s journey makes it necessary to change your initial parenting plans or support orders. Once you work with us, you are part of our family, and we will always be here to support you. How often do you hear a friend or family member go back to their family law attorney for anything? Doesn’t typically happen. We encourage our clients to keep in touch and always ask questions.
Where to Begin
Since our involvement in divorce mediation in California, we have been around since 2008 and over the last 15 years we have molded our practice from start to finish. When we see a need for a tweak in our process, we make it. We take feedback from our employees, our clients, and other professionals. We are always striving to improve upon our foundation to ensure we are providing the best service we can to our community.
Our process takes you from the very first step (gathering information), through filing your initial paperwork, helping you and your spouse through all the tough issues in mediation sessions, drafting your final agreement, and filing your final judgment packet with the court, all while connecting you with resources needed along the way. Our process is very flexible in that you do not need to come to us with much, we have clients that haven’t yet decided if they will in fact divorce or not, and that is OK too. We are here, for your family to help you with the discussions you need to determine which path is best.
Moreover, we are malleable to your timeline and needs. We know you do not come to us with all the answers, if you had all the answers, you wouldn’t need us. We are here to help facilitate conversations and brainstorming sessions for you and your spouse to gather all the information you need to make these life-changing decisions. And we are also here to ensure you don’t feel pressured by time, family members, upcoming events, etc. We are grateful to provide a safe space, both physically and emotionally for you to contemplate what you need going forward that will make your life complete. That may or may not include divorce. Either way, we are here to help.
Find Emotional Comfort in California Divorce Mediation
Our goal at San Diego Family Mediation is to help push California to take Sweden’s view of divorce. It is a general principle of Swedish law that consensual solutions are considered best for the child. The rules have therefore been formulated in such a way that an attempt must first be made to persuade parents to agree on matters that affect their children.
They do not allow families to initiate their divorce in court as a first resort. Instead, they require mediation to come first and only use the court system as a last resort.
After spending my entire adult career in California divorce mediation, I can confidentially say that our families walk away still connected as a family and not splintered the way litigation impacts a family. Our hope for you, our community, is that you give mediation a shot before heading into court. We ask that you share this information with loved ones, so they can also understand the benefits that our process provides. Schedule a free consultation today!
If you’re considering giving your marriage another shot, we recommend reading a Silver Linings Transitions blog on things to consider when it comes to saving your marriage.
by: Jennifer Segura
