Mindful Resolution Options
Family Mediation
This is a therapeutic option for individuals who are: preparing to dissolve their marriage, paternity establishment, and or have shared parental responsibilities of a or many minor children (children) to establish, amend and or review appropriate resolutions to actual, perceived, and or anticipated disputes regarding their shared responsibilities such as:
Division of Assets & Debts
What is a fair and equitable distribution of the assets required and debts incurred during the marriage? Who will get what? Who will pay for what?
Alimony
Will either party seek permanent alimony, lump sum alimony, or rehabilitative alimony for a specified time?
Other Entitlements
Will either party seek permanent alimony, lump sum alimony, or rehabilitative alimony for a specified time?
Shared Parenting Plan
If children were born or adopted during the marriage, what is an agreeable shared parenting plan?
• What will be the arrangements and schedule for visitation with the children?
• How much child support will be paid? Will it be by agreement between parties or per Florida Statute?
• How much life and/or health insurance for the children will be provided by either or both parents?
• Who will pay for uncovered medical and/or dental expenses?
• How will future education costs be shared or provided?
This is an opportunity for each of the participating individuals to truly practice self determination, collectively practice control over the outcome of their case, which allows the case to be resolved sooner, mutually beneficial, and can save on the overall expense (time, money and emotional) involved in the case.
Elderly Mediation
This is a therapeutic process that allows individuals the transparent opportunity to address disputes involving an older adult (or on behalf of)addressing age-related issues. In many cases, an older adult who is identified as vulnerable may be at the heart of the mediation. Still, in other cases, mediation might be called to reduce or prevent the individual’s vulnerability. The following are examples of topics that may be addressed:
• Health and medical care (at home, in the community, in the hospital, continuing care, and long-term care communities)
• Progressive dementia and other memory impairments concerns
• Caregiving
• Visitation
• Financial issues
• Guardianship issues
• Housing concerns
• Living arrangements
• Intergenerational relationship issues
• New marriages and step-relative issues
• Religious issues
• Family business issues
• Driving issues
• Abuse, safety issues, self-neglect
• Legal issues (estate, inheritance, living will, power of attorney etc.)
• End-of-life planning and decision-making
This therapeutic process benefits the identified older adult, their family members, caregivers, and other appropriate supportive persons, and others in many unique ways; an opportunity to explore, in a confidential and safe environment, creative win-win solutions that address a broad range of decisions and conflicts that affect the individual’s quality of life and safety.
Circuit Meditation
As the court system continues to be congested, this is a therapeutic alternative for Civil Cases (except for Family courts) that are or would have been in the Circuit Court system. The involved parties are encouraged to listen, keep confidences, be empathetic, suspend preconceived judgments, respect each other’s values, and focus on resolving the underlying conflict standing as is, a Business Matter.
• Share individualized perceptions, offer empathy to one another, and reduce hostilities within the conflict
• Clear up misunderstandings
• Determine underlying interests and concerns
• Explore possible resolution opportunities
• Find areas of agreement that can be built upon
• Confirm resolutions that are Mutually Beneficial and Doable to all.
Dependency Mediation
In the event of an unfortunate situation when a child, children, and or families are involved in the Foster Care Court System because of allegations of abuse, abandonment, and or neglect. This Trauma-Informed Therapeutic approach is the opportunity for the parents, other family members, foster parents, service providers, and professionals involved in investigating and or assisting to intentionally focuses on the child’s safety and the best interest and safety of all family members. This a true opportunity to assist the individuals in reaching a fully informed and mutually acceptable resolution of cases involving such issues as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or alcohol and drug abuse by an identified parent.