Let me first start by saying I’m not anti-lawyer. I have a phenomenal lawyer who I’ve referred to dozens of clients over the years. So, when I talk about the benefits of seeing me for conflict mediation as opposed to a lawyer, it is not to denigrate the legal route in general. Lawyers are necessary, and, like any industry, you need to find the right one to go forward.
However, when there are conflicts involving divorce, custody or separation, there are two major advantages to seeing me as opposed to a lawyer: the financial and the emotional.
Between court fees and legal fees, you’re looking at a divorce that costs well into the thousands. My time costs a fraction of that of a lawyer’s. But even more importantly, there is the emotional cost that lawyers don’t involve themselves in whatsoever.
We seem compelled to wear a shield of armor when we go into legal battles. We don’t let ourselves smile or cry, and we thrust ourselves into facts and how those cold, hard facts size up against the law. This is perhaps necessary, but we must not forget that these tricky mediation proceedings are emotionally taxing. We can’t ignore the fact that a break-up sucks whether it’s needed or not, or whether one party wants it to work or not.
I will help navigate the emotional terrains as well as the legal one. If the relationship is in trouble, I will fix it. If the relationship is to have an agreed termination, I will make sure it is mutually amicable and personally safe.