1. 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.

2. 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.

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. Safety planning and other considerations included.

4. Individual Sessions
We begin with private, one-on-one intake 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, major decisions, child and spousal support, basic property and asset division, pets, etc.) Sessions run 60–120 minutes and repeat as needed until a settlement is reached. Time and amount of sessions needed entirely depends on your needs and ability to come to mutual agreements.

6. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

When consensus is reached, I prepare a detailed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that clearly outlines all of the agreements made during mediation.

This document reflects the parties’ own decisions — written in plain, accessible language — and summarizes every term discussed, including parenting arrangements, support, property, or other commitments. The MOU serves as a roadmap for next steps, which clients can then review independently, share with their lawyers, or submit to court to formalize as a legally binding agreement if they choose.

7. Independent Legal Advice & Formal Sign-Off

Because I practise Closed Mediation, everything shared in the process is treated as strictly confidential.
The discussions, notes, and drafts created during mediation cannot be used in court, and I cannot be called to testify about what was said.

Confidentiality, however, has important legal and ethical limits. As a Registered Social Worker and Accredited Family Mediator, I am legally required to report or act if:

• There is a risk of harm to a child or another person.

• Someone discloses an imminent risk of serious self-harm or violence.

• The information involves an abuse or neglect situation that must be reported under Ontario law. These obligations exist to keep everyone safe and align with my professional duties under both the OAFM Standards of Practice and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers Code of Ethics.

Once both parties have agreed on the terms outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), each person takes a copy to their own lawyer for independent legal advice. This step ensures everyone fully understands their rights and obligations before signing anything.

After receiving this advice, your lawyers —or, if necessary, the court — convert the MOU into a binding Separation Agreement that complies with Ontario’s Family Law Act.
This final step formalizes your mediated resolutions and provides the reassurance that your agreement is both legally sound and personally informed by the conversations you built together.

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.