1. Agreement to Mediate
Mediation starts once both parties choose the process and sign an Agreement to Mediate. This lays out the purpose, standards, and ground rules that will guide every step.

2. First Contact & Full Disclosure
During our initial call we clarify goals, timelines, and any extra supports you may need (legal, financial, mental-health). You’ll also share any information that could affect negotiations so I can prepare effectively.

3. Safety & Power-Imbalance Screening
Before—and throughout—mediation I use confidential screening tools to identify domestic-violence risks or power imbalances and to tailor safeguards that keep every participant safe and heard.

4. Individual Sessions
We begin with private, one-on-one meetings so each of you can freely outline concerns, priorities, and desired outcomes without the other party present.

5. Joint (or Shuttle) Sessions
Next we meet together—or by secure shuttle if separate rooms or locations are safer. We confirm the topics to resolve (parenting time, support, property, prenup terms, family-business matters, and more) and sign a concise Contract to Mediate. Sessions run 60–120 minutes and repeat as needed until a settlement is reached.

6. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
When consensus is achieved, I draft an MOU that captures every term in clear language.

7. Independent Legal Advice & Formal Sign-Off
Because I practise Closed Mediation, all discussions remain confidential and I cannot be called to testify. Each party then takes the MOU to their own lawyer for independent legal advice. Your lawyers—or, if required, the court—convert the MOU into a binding Separation Agreement and formally sign off, ensuring full compliance with Ontario’s Family Law Act.

Family mediation is faster, more affordable, and far less adversarial than court. If you’re ready to bridge differences and create solutions, let’s talk.