Michael Lang
In the relative quiet of sheltering during the pandemic, I woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago to an email from Peter in Dublin, he said that he had a mad idea and suggested we produce a book to help families strained by forced confinement and shoved suddenly into reconfiguring their lives by the impact of COVID-19. The ebook you are reading is the product of that idea, possible only because of the generous and inspired contributions from more than 70 professionals and as a result of Peter’s unflagging efforts to format, illustrate and produce the book.
This book is not my first adventure in publishing with Peter and our long term collaborator Fiona. We are in the middle of developing on a series of books for people who are considering or in the process of separation and divorce. That series, Divorce and Separation: A Practical Guide to Making Smart Decisions, supported by the exceptional work of local editors, now includes editions for 5 states, with versions for 10 more states in process – eventually we will get to every state in America.
Peter Nicholson
This has been a worldwide project from the initial idea that took wings when my very dear friend and colleague Michael suggested that we reach out to Mediators around the world and ask if anyone was interested in assisting us in this very short term adventure.It took about twenty minutes after he sent out a few emails before we got our answer. Leading mediators and related professionals stepped up to the challenge.
Over one week, we received terrific pieces of crafted knowledge and handed it over to my team in OGX, who turned it into this book while putting up with Michael and my never-ending requests for changes and inputs!
I want to thank everyone involved, especially Michael, and sincerely hope these messages in these pages get into the hands of people that need it right now. Lastly, I would like to thank Karen, my beautiful wife, who has put up with me over the last thirty years or so but especially during the previous two mad weeks of developing this book.
All Contributors
The contributors to this book are professionals who help families in distress. In this time of crisis, we want to use our knowledge and experience to help make life just a bit better for families during the pandemic. We come from 10 countries. We are mediators, lawyers, politicians, financial experts, mental health, and child experts.
Mary-Anne Popescu
Mary-Anne is the Executive Director of the Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM). As an OAFM Accredited Family and Elder Mediator, and Child Protection Mediator in private practice, she works to bring peaceful resolutions that help families adapt to challenges and changes across the life cycle. Mary-Anne is also a roster mediator for the Office of Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), and the Ministry of Government and Consumer Affairs. In recognition of her volunteer contributions to St. Joseph’s Maternal Health Support Program, Mary-Anne received the Ontario Award for Good Citizens, from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Mary Anne supports diversity and equality as an ally and volunteer for Toronto PFLAG. She served for eight years as a Panel Member on the City of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment. Mary-Anne is also the past Chair of the ADR Institute of Ontario’s Family Section and past Board Member of the OAFM.
Louisa Whitney
Louisa is an accredited family mediator in Surrey, UK. She helps separating couples to find resolutions tailor made to their families. She also supervises other mediators and trains lawyers, mediator and other professionals. She is found on all social media channels and via www.lkwfamilymediation.co.uk
Tiziana Magnaghi
Tiziana is a conflict mediator, criminologist, and counselor; she collaborates with legal offices as a consultant. She is a supervisor at various conferences. Tiziana gets great satisfaction providing school mediation at a Higher Institute. She also provides counseling combined with yoga at a maximum-security prison, despite the current difficulties in Italy. Through updates and different courses, she regularly attends (even for pure curiosity). She mixes different skills to get the best results for her clients and certainly also for her family and herself. tmagnaghi@yahoo.it +39 348 2247376
Lorraine Segal, M.A.
Lorraine is a Conflict Management and Communication Consultant, Coach, and Trainer. At Sonoma State University, Lorraine leads the Conflict Management professional development certificate program. Through her business, Conflict Remedy, Ms. Segal works with individuals and organizations to promote harmonious and productive workplaces. Find her blog and more information at ConflictRemedy.com – Lorraine@ConflictRemedy.com
Delma Sweeney
Delma Sweeney: PhD., DASS (Distinction), CQSW, Dip. Supervision. Delma retired as Director of Mediation & Conflict Intervention at the National University of Ireland Maynooth in 2015, having delivered mediation programmes in many specialist mediation fields to masters level for 16 years. With over 24 years experience as a mediator she has worked with many conflict situations, such as family mediation and large-scale multiparty mediation. Delma is an accredited psychotherapist with the Irish Council of Psychotherapy and currently works as a psychotherapist.
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers provides leadership that promotes the highest degree of professionalism and excellence in the practice of family law.
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts is an interdisciplinary and international association of professionals dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through the resolution of family conflict.
Georgia Daniels
Georgia went to law school to become a family mediator, got sidetracked into a traditional legal career, took a detour through teaching in public schools, and final decided, “Now is the time.” That was in 2001. She accepts referrals for all aspects of family mediation, online or in person. Georgia@GeorgiaDaniels.com
Dale Bagshaw, PhD
Dale is now adjunct Associate Professor, University of South Australia. She was Head of Social Work and Social Policy, Director, Centre for Peace, Conflict and Mediation and Program Director of postgraduate programs in Mediation and Conflict Management. Her research focused on children and parental separation, family violence and family mediation.
Forrest (Woody) Mosten
Forrest is a mediator and collaborative lawyer in San Diego and Los Angeles. He teaches mediation and peacemaking at UCLA School of law and is the author of 6 books. In 2019, Mr. Mosten received the Lifetime Career Achievement Award from the Academy of Professional Family Mediators
Arnie Shienvold
Arnie is a psychologist/forensic evaluator/mediator licensed in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Ohio. Arnie is the past president of the Academy of Family Mediators, the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. His time is divided between doing forensic evaluations, psychotherapy, mediation, parenting coordination and teaching.
Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM)
From distinguished family mediation pioneers to new mediators beginning their careers, we are an Academy of Professional Family Mediators committed to supporting the work of all family mediators and advancing the field of family mediation.
Darby Munroe
Darby Munroe founded Trauma Informed Solutions to prevent and reduce childhood trauma and ACEs. After making it through a high conflict divorce, she wanted to make the process less stressful and traumatic for other families, so she became a certified mediator and conflict coach. darby@traumainformedsolutions.com
Morghan Leia Richardson
Morghan is a Partner at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP in Manhattan. She exclusively handles divorce and family litigation and mediation. Ms. Richardson has been named by Super Lawyers one of New York’s Rising Stars (best attorneys who are 40 or under) and by the American Society of Legal Advocates as a Top 40 Family Lawyer Under 40. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Section for Women in the Law, and Lawyer Moms of America. Ms. Richardson is selected as a mediator for the New York County Supreme Court’s pilot Matrimonial Mediation program. She is licensed to practice in New York, Maryland and D.C.
Susan S. Raines, PhD
Susan is a Professor and the Associate Director of the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding, and Development at Kennesaw State University in suburban Atlanta. She is the author of “Conflict Management for Managers” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and has mediated thousands of disputes inside and outside of the court system.
Hilary Linton
Hilary Linton graduated from journalism school with dreams of becoming a writer during the 1982 recession. Law school was the next best thing. After 14 years of litigation she realized mediation was actually the next best thing. Today Hilary operates Riverdale Mediation Ltd. in Toronto, Ontario, providing family mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination and training.
Laurie Amaya, Esq.
Laurie Amaya works as a family law mediator, consulting and collaborative attorney in Pasadena, California, USA. She is an APFM Certified Advanced Practitioner, APFM Senior Mediator, and a Certified Mediator with Mediate.com.
Margaret Considine
Margaret is an Advanced Practice Mediator – Mii and CEDR accredited, a Commercial Negotiator, a Conflict coach, Trainer, a Management Consultant and an author of six books. Margaret holds faculty posts in universities in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand. Margaret holds masters from UCD, NUIM and Trinity College Dublin and is Harvard and Northwestern University trained. Margaret is president of the Mii, President of South Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Chair of Making Connections a charity alleviating loneliness in the elderly. Her best role is as parent of three very different, exciting and demanding teenagers.
Sue Bronson
Sue Bronson, LCSW is Co-Chair of the ACR/FLAFCC Elder Justice Initiative on Eldercaring Coordination and lead trainer. Ms. Bronson is a mediator, trainer, and retired psychotherapist in Milwaukee, WI since 1983 mediating family, elder, and workplace disputes. She teaches mediation at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is lead author of the Self-Assessment Tool for Mediators, translated into three languages. Sbronson@wi.rr.com | www.EldercaringCoordinationFL.org
Sue Atkins
Sue Atkins is an internationally recognised Parenting Expert, Broadcaster, Speaker and Author of the Amazon best-selling books “Parenting Made Easy – How to Raise Happy Children” & “Raising Happy Children for Dummies” one in the famous black and yellow series as well as author of the highly acclaimed Parenting Made Easy CDs, Apps and resources.
Sue is the Parenting Expert for Disney Junior UK and has recorded podcasts and Facebook Live Tea Parties around ‘Parenting Hacks’ & has started filming parenting video tips with The Mummy Diaries TV Series.
Sue is the Parenting Expert for Disney Junior UK and has recorded podcasts and Facebook Live Tea Parties around ‘Parenting Hacks’ & has started filming parenting video tips with The Mummy Diaries TV Series.
Larry Fong
Dr. Fong is a psychologist, mediator and arbitrator who has trained world-wide since 1990. His experience in the court system has resulted in his expert witness in three Canadian provinces in both Provincial and Superior Court. He is the co-author of ‘Mediation’ and as well leading training DVD’s in mediation, which are used by other trainers world-wide.
Jodie Grant
Building upon Social Work foundations, today Jodie is a highly skilled and knowledgeable Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) and Mediator. Commencing work in the Family Law field nearly 20 years ago, Jodie has maintained clinical practice whilst fulfilling education and training roles, leading and supporting professional best practice. Jodie also works as a coach, FDR clinical supervisor, and Restorative Engagement Facilitator/ Direct Personal Response Facilitator. E Jodie.grant@shiftingsands.net.au – www.shiftingsands.net.au
Julie McAuliffe
Julie is an Advanced Practitioner Mediator with the Mediators Institute of Ireland since 1999. She obtained a Master’s in Mediation and Conflict Resolution in 2005 from University College Dublin. Julie is the Director of Conflict Positive offering Mediation, Conflict Coaching and Mediation Training. She has lectured graduate students in Mediation and Conflict Resolution at UCD and the National University Ireland Maynooth. In addition to private practice, Julie works for the Family Mediation Service. She mediates complex multi-party disputes, interpersonal misunderstandings, bullying and harassment issues, and family disputes.
Robin Brzobohatý
Robin is the leading family mediator in Czech Republic. Since 2015 he was the head of the cross-border family mediation program at the Office for International Legal Protection of Children in Brno. Robin is the Czech contact person for communication with the European Parliament mediator for resolving international parental child abductions. Robin is certified transformative mediator by the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation (ISCT), USA.
Louise Phipps Senft
Louise Phipps Senft, nationally recognized transformative family Mediator, Attorney, Distinguished Fellow in the International Academy of Mediators, and author of Best-Seller Being Relational: The Seven Ways to Quality Interaction & Lasting Positive Change, Co-Chair of Relational Practices Task Force for the American Bar Association.
David Gray
David has practiced mediation for the last five years. Formerly a Functional Family Therapist and Community Drugs Worker, he holds a Masters in Mediation and Conflict Intervention from Maynooth University, Ireland. He is the CEO of a Youth & Family Service in South East Ireland and a Dad too.
Leah Hadley
Leah is an experienced mediator, an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), and a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF). She is also the Founder of Great Lakes Divorce Financial Solutions. Leah is committed to helping parents resolve their differences so that families can thrive following a divorce. leah@greatlakesdfs.com
Lisa Sundquist
Lisa is the Owner and Mediator at Creekside Mediation, LLC a dedicated mediation practice in historic downtown Frederick, Maryland. She focuses on assisting families in transition with divorce and custody issues. She is also a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for the Frederick County Court System advocating for foster children in the court system and mediating guardianship cases.
Tammy Lenski, Ed.D.
For two decades Dr. Tammy Lenski has brought the tools and skills of the professional mediator, executive coach, and conflict resolution teacher to help individuals, pairs, and teams navigate disagreements, address friction, and collaborate effectively. The author of two conflict resolution books, Tammy writes a popular conflict resolution blog read by thousands worldwide. She can be reached at tammy@tammylenski.com.
Tzofnat Peleg-Baker
Tzofnat Peleg-Baker, MA Communications, and MA and Ph.D. in Psychology (specialty in conflict and mediation) is a social psychologist, a conflict resolution scholar-practitioner, and mediator for twenty years. Tzofnat is an Adjunct Professor in the professional MBA program, School of Business at Rutgers University-Camden, where she also provides students with mentorship and coaching. She has been training across continents, and as a Board Member and facilitator in peace organizations, she led inter-group dialogues between religious and secular groups, Jews and Arabs, and Israelis and Palestinians. As the Head of Strategy at the Ministry of Justice, Israel, she served on the national team that introduced ADR and mediation in the country. Her experience in innovative democratic and dialogic reforms in schools significantly shaped her contextual-relational approach to transforming conflict. Tzofnat can be reached at: tzofnatpb@gmail.com
Amanda D. Singer
Amanda D. Singer, Esq., MDR, CDFA is the co-owner of San Diego Family Mediation Center and California Family Mediation Center-Orange County where she works as a professional family mediator to help her clients and their families deal with conflicts constructively and find ways to improve communication, solve problems and reach agreements on legal and non-legal issues in a peaceful manner. Amanda is the Vice President of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators.
Kelley Hopkins-Alvarez
Kelley Hopkins-Alvarez, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, who provides individual and couples psychotherapy in her private practice in Ridgefield, Connecticut, where she specializes in relationships. She has trained in the following models: AASECT Sex Therapy advanced training, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and Gottman Couples Therapy Models, and was the first therapist in CT to incorporate Discernment Counseling in her practice. She is also a Board Certified Coach.
Shauna Lardner
Shauna is an independent accredited mediator in Ireland, specialising in family, separating couples, workplace, community and agricultural disputes. She has a BA (Hons) in Community & Family Studies and an MA (Hons) in Conflict Management from National University of Ireland, Galway. Shauna believes that mediation is an important way forward in the way we resolve disputes in all areas of our lives, and has seen first hand how mediation has helped relationships to continue in a positive and respectful manner.
www.blackrockmediation.ie – shauna@blackrockmediation.ie
www.blackrockmediation.ie – shauna@blackrockmediation.ie
Devika Sammy
Devika Sammy, Pg. Dip., BSc., ACIArb was certified as a mediator in 2011 by the Mediation Board of Trinidad and Tobago (MBTT) and is a family mediator. Her experience entails mediation of all aspects of divorce as well as workplace and financial disputes. She works within the all levels of educational sector from elementary tertiary/post-graduate students. Ms Sammy has facilitated training in the areas of conflict management and mediation at corporate and public institutions throughout Trinidad and Tobago. www.facebook.com/communitypeacebuilding devika.sammy@hotmail.co.uk
Tracey-Leigh Wessels
Tracey-Leigh is an Attorney and Mediator practicing in Durban South Africa. Tracey-Leigh was admitted as an attorney in South Africa in 1997. In 1998 she obtained her accreditation as a Family & Divorce Mediator through SAAM (The South African Association of Mediators). She has since 2011 been focusing predominantly on Family and Divorce Mediation matters.
Keave O’Donnell
Keave O’Donnell BA, MA, MMII is a mediator, restorative practice facilitator and conflict management coach. She works in private practice and with the Family Mediation Service in Ireland. Keave has also worked as mediation service co-ordinator, with Community Law and Mediation. She has an honours degree in sociology and post-graduate training in innovation. email: keave@onesmallstep.ie
Jane Cooksey
Jane is a Psychologist, Lawyer and Mediator. “I have been exploring how people deal with conflict for many years. By embracing the fear of a difficult conversation, listening and approaching from a state of not-knowing (or not judging) any encounter can be enhanced and transformed, yours or another’s.”
Jenifer Joy Madden
Jenifer Joy is a parent educator, digital media adjunct professor, and founded DurableHuman.com and parent ed classroom, Durable U. She makes a line of Durable Human tech hygiene products and wrote How To Be a Durable Human: Revive and Thrive in the Digital Age Through the Power of Self-Design. www.durablehuman.com
Honey Hastings
Honey has been a divorce and parenting mediator in New Hampshire USA since 1995. As a Certified Family Mediator, she facilitates both Family Court and private cases. Hastings regularly presents continuing education workshops for lawyers and mediators. A retired lawyer, she drafts and advocates for family law legislation. HHastings@FamilyMediationNH.com
Sharon Morrissey
Sharon Morrissey is a family mediator who supports individuals and couples through the trauma and anxiety of separation and related issues, notably child custody and access. She has designed and delivered university courses on conflict resolution and recently published a book, ‘That’s Not My Ending!’. For more information: sharonmorrisseyconflictresolution.ie
Peter Boyle
Peter established the practice in 2009 and currently has two legal offices in Dublin, Ireland providing legal advice to both commercial and private clients. He is a member of the Law Society of Ireland and the Irish Taxation Institute and holds the TEP designation from the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners. As a former Council member of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association (DSBA) and Chairman of its Practice Management Committee, Peter is a highly qualified and dedicated legal professional. Email Peter@peterboyle.ie Visit www.peterboyle.ie
Lori Lustberg
Lori Lustberg, CFP, CDFA, JD, is a fee-only financial planner at Pathway Financial Advisors in South Burlington, Vermont. In addition, she is co-president of the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, a frequent presenter for the Vermont Bar Association on tax and financial issues, and a prolific freelance writer. lori@pathwayadvisors.com
Anna M. Saczuk
Mediator with over 20 years of managerial experience. Specializes in family, commercial and workplace mediation including collective bargaining. Speaks several languages. Trains individuals and managers in communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills. Mentor for young professionals. Judge in the ICC mediation competition. Mediator by the Polish Minister of Labor and Social Policy. Chosen by a French deputy to co-design and run a cross-border family mediation project.
Website: annasaczuk.com
English FB profile: www.facebook.com/pg/internationalmediator
Polish FB profile: www.facebook.com/Anna-Saczuk-Mediator-Rozwi%C4%85zuj%C4%99-problemy-w-rodzinie-i-biznesie-102986641344983
Website: annasaczuk.com
English FB profile: www.facebook.com/pg/internationalmediator
Polish FB profile: www.facebook.com/Anna-Saczuk-Mediator-Rozwi%C4%85zuj%C4%99-problemy-w-rodzinie-i-biznesie-102986641344983
Alison Bull
Alison heads the Manchester family team at English law firm Mills & Reeve LLP. An accredited family/commercial mediator and collaborative lawyer, she assists clients with family disputes of all kinds. Chambers and Partners (independent legal directory) refers to her as a “leading light in the ADR world….an innovator, leader and first-class mediator whose constant and consistent client-focused attitude ensures a favourable outcome.”
alison.bull@mills-reeve.com – www.mills-reeve.com
alison.bull@mills-reeve.com – www.mills-reeve.com
Doírín Mulligan
Doírín is a practising solicitor and a trained mediator and collaborative family law practitioner. Doírín practices exclusively in the areas of Family Law and Child Care Law and is equipped to provide clients with expert advice in these areas. Doirin’s view is that the best interests of the children should be paramount in any proceedings concerning them.
doirinmulligan@gmail.com
doirinmulligan@gmail.com
Pegotty and Randy Cooper
Pegotty Cooper, MBA, FASAE, CDC®, CHCC®; Co-Founder, CDC Certified Divorce Coach® Certification; Certified Narrative Coach; CHCC Career Coach.
Randall R. Cooper, MBA, CFP®, CDFA®, CDC®; Supreme Court of Florida Certified Family Mediator. Co-Authors: Divorce: Overcome the Overwhelm and Avoid the 6 Biggest Mistakes and Divorce: Taking the High Road
Randall R. Cooper, MBA, CFP®, CDFA®, CDC®; Supreme Court of Florida Certified Family Mediator. Co-Authors: Divorce: Overcome the Overwhelm and Avoid the 6 Biggest Mistakes and Divorce: Taking the High Road
Andi Paus
Andi Paus has been practicing family law litigation for more than twenty-years. She shifted her practice to almost exclusively mediation eight years ago when joining Arizona Mediation Institute. Andi lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her long time significant other, Steve, her teenagers, Carter and Kennedy, and their dog, Thunder. Her family is hosting a foster dog, Lester, during the pandemic. arizonamediation.com andi@arizonamediation.com
Donald T. Saposnek, Ph.D.
Donald is a clinical-child psychologist, child custody mediator, and an international trainer and consultant in child psychology and mediation since 1977, author of Mediating Child Custody Disputes, co-author of Splitting America, and for 41 years taught on the psychology faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz. dsaposnek@mediate.com www.mediate.com/dsaposnek
David Hubbard
David Hubbard, J.D. is Director of the Conciliation Court for Douglas County District Court in Omaha Nebraska. From 2005 to 2017 David served as the Director of Facilitation and Training at The Mediation Center in Lincoln, Nebraska and taught mediation and family mediation at the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Katie Bennett
Katie Bennett, JD, MSW runs Family Mediation Hawai‘i, a mediation and collaborative law firm helping families reach child focused settlement agreements. In addition to private practice, she mediates for the O‘ahu Child Welfare Mediation Program at Family Court. A mother of three, Katie strives to reduce the toxic effects sustained parental conflict and litigation have on children. She received the Hawaii Access to Justice Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service (2014) and the NASW-HI Social Justice and Advocacy Award (2015).
Dan Murphy
For 35 years Dan Murphy worked with children and families. He earned an M.S. degree in Education in 1974. He served as Director of St. Elizabeth’s Child Development Center for 20 years, facilitating parent support groups and leading the certification process of the Center by the National Association for the Education for Young Children. Dan was also involved in drafting initial policies and procedures for reporting child abuse for Catholic Charities Maine. Dan also developed child welfare best practices among state and local child and family services organizations.
Tania Perlin
Tania is a lawyer, certified mediator, Deputy Judge- small claims court, freelance writer, instructor, and wellness coach. She has been practicing law since 1994. Ms. Perlin is passionate about fostering access to justice by offering alternative ways to resolve disputes in a more compassionate manner, wherein parties are in control of the outcomes.
Contact: tania.perlin@gmail.com
Contact: tania.perlin@gmail.com
Greg Rooney
Greg has been a practicing mediator in Australia since 1991. He has mediated more than 1,500 disputes in a diverse range of conflicts including multi-party disputes involving government institutions, commercial and industrial disputes, agricultural disputes, franchise disputes, matrimonial disputes and disputes involving conflict in the workplace.
He is a Director of the Mediator Standards Board that regulates the Australian National Mediation Accreditation Scheme. He has, since 2012, co-facilitated an annual mediation Retreat in Tuscany Italy. Website: www.gregrooney.com.au
He is a Director of the Mediator Standards Board that regulates the Australian National Mediation Accreditation Scheme. He has, since 2012, co-facilitated an annual mediation Retreat in Tuscany Italy. Website: www.gregrooney.com.au
Stephen K. Erickson
Stephen K. Erickson, J.D. has been mediating full time since 1977. He is co-founder and co-director of the Erickson Mediation Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has trained new mediators in the U.S., Canada, Holland, England, and Singapore. He is a founder and second president of the Academy of Family Mediators and he serves as Chair of the Standards and Ethics committee for the Academy of Professional Family Mediators. His recent books include The Practitioner’s Guide to Mediation (2003), Family Mediation Casebook (2014), as His most recent book is: The Child Support Solution, Unhooking Child Support from Custody, (2020)
Marie Freeman
Marie has had the pleasure of working in many different industries, giving her a wide variety of experience. She had a rewarding career in the mental health sector, before setting up a successful digital marketing company with her husband. After training as a mediator, she developed a special interest in working with separating couples. Marie lives in beautiful county Wicklow, in Ireland, with her husband and two young daughters.
Josepha Madigan
Josepha was appointed as Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht on 30th November 2017. Josepha is a Fine Gael T.D. for Dublin Rathdown. As Minister she has overseen increased investment in the arts, new supports for artists, and robust action to preserve our biodiversity.
Josepha is a national legislator. She proposed and won a referendum to reform Ireland’s divorce laws. She has also drafted legislation on family law and contempt of court. Prior to her appointment as Minister, Josepha served on the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, the Future of Healthcare Committee, and was the Chairperson of the Budgetary Oversight Committee. She was a Fine Gael Councillor for the Stillorgan Ward on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, from May 2014 until her election as a T.D. Josepha practiced as a solicitor for twenty years. She won Family Lawyer of the year at the Irish Law Awards 2014.
Josepha is also an author of a handbook for family lawyers and their clients entitled “Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Ireland” (Jordan Publishing, 2012).
She studied at Mount Anville School, Trinity College Dublin and Blackhall Place.
Josepha is a national legislator. She proposed and won a referendum to reform Ireland’s divorce laws. She has also drafted legislation on family law and contempt of court. Prior to her appointment as Minister, Josepha served on the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, the Future of Healthcare Committee, and was the Chairperson of the Budgetary Oversight Committee. She was a Fine Gael Councillor for the Stillorgan Ward on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, from May 2014 until her election as a T.D. Josepha practiced as a solicitor for twenty years. She won Family Lawyer of the year at the Irish Law Awards 2014.
Josepha is also an author of a handbook for family lawyers and their clients entitled “Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Ireland” (Jordan Publishing, 2012).
She studied at Mount Anville School, Trinity College Dublin and Blackhall Place.
Margaret Ross
Margaret is a barrister and mediator in Australia, where she has been a legal practitioner for 34 years and a mediator for 29 years. She has mediated in excess of 1,000 disputes since 1990 specialising in Family Law, Mediation and Dispute Management in a wide area of disputes. She has conducted dispute resolution and mediation courses for several Universities and for government and nongovernment organisations in Australia. She has, since 2012, co-facilitated an annual mediation Retreat in Tuscany Italy. Website: www.margaretross.com.au
Rosemarie Ferrante
Rosemarie Ferrante is a divorce attorney whose practice focuses on non-adversarial divorcethrough mediation and collaborative divorce. Rosemarie’s goal is to make a positive impact on the divorce process for her clients by giving them the resources and tools they need to help their family transition smoothly through the process of restructuring their family. She is licensed in NY and CT, has offices in Danbury, Stamford and Greenwich, CT and provides online services as well.
Susan Allan
Since 1999 Susan has been America’s leading Marriage & Divorce Coach, domestic violence prevention expert and creator of Heartspace® Solutions, The Divorce Forum® A certified Mediator, and Marital Mediation©. Reconciliation results are 99% successful Details are available in Susan’s 3 eBooks and 215 videos at www.youtube.com/user/susanallan2001 and her current blog, www.yourtango.com/experts/susan-allan.
Josh Kraus
Josh is the founder of Fair & Friendly Mediation, where he practices as a family mediator throughout the state of Florida. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators. Please visit www.fairfriendlymediation.com for more information.
Andi Paus
Andi Paus has been practicing family law litigation for more than twenty-years. She shifted her practice to almost exclusively mediation eight years ago when joining Arizona Mediation Institute. Andi lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her long time significant other, Steve, her teenagers, Carter and Kennedy, and their dog, Thunder. Her family is hosting a foster dog, Lester, during the pandemic. arizonamediation.com andi@arizonamediation.com
Susanne Terry
Susanne Terry is the editor and a contributor to the newly released More Justice, More Peace: When Peacemakers Are Advocates, Rowman & Littlefield/ACR. She and Michael Lang are editors of the ACR Practitioner’s Guide Series, published by Rowman & Littlefield. She is a facilitator, mediator, coach and organizational consultant and is the Case Supervisor for the Vermont Superior Court Parent Coordination Program. Her newest venture is as a storyteller.
Mark B. Baer
Mark is a mediator, conflict resolution consultant, a non-litigating family law attorney, author and editor, located in Pasadena, California. He most recently co-authored Divorce and Separation: A Practical Guide to Making Smart Decisions (California Edition). His article titled The Amplification of Bias in Family Law and Its Impact will be published in the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in May, 2020.
Virginia L. Colin
Virginia L. Colin, Ph.D. is a professional family mediator in Fairfax, VA. She is the Director of Colin Family Mediation Group LLC and co-author of The Guide to Low-Cost Divorce in Virginia. You can contact her at MediatorQ@gmail.com.
Kelly Gering
Based in Omaha, NE, Kelly Gering is the founder of Shared Story, a conflict resolution practice that helps people have the kinds of conversations that matter.
Specializing in high-conflict scenarios, Kelly serves on the Nebraska State Supreme Court’s Office of Dispute Resolution panel of private mediators helping families to create solutions that are sustainable and healing. Complimenting her private practice, Kelly is also a special faculty member in Creighton University’s graduate program in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.
Specializing in high-conflict scenarios, Kelly serves on the Nebraska State Supreme Court’s Office of Dispute Resolution panel of private mediators helping families to create solutions that are sustainable and healing. Complimenting her private practice, Kelly is also a special faculty member in Creighton University’s graduate program in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.
Marilyn McKnight
Marilyn is a mediator, trainer, co-founder and co-director of the Erickson Mediation Institute in Minneapolis, who, after an extensive career in public social work, has practiced exclusively in the field of mediation since 1977, and has trained mediators, nationally and internationally. She has been President of several national mediation organizations, pioneered and developed the movement toward the certification of mediators, and has received numerous awards for her prominent work in the mediation field, including the Distinguished Mediator Award by the Academy of Family Mediators. She has co-authored a number of books on mediation, including Mediating Divorce: A Client’s Workbook (Jossey-Bass, 1998), and Mediating Divorce: A Step-by-Step Manual (Jossey-Bass, 2002).
Ellice Halpern
Ellice is the founder of Little Falls Mediation in Arlington, Virginia. She was voted Best Mediator 2020 and 2018 by readers of Arlington Magazine; she was also voted Best of the Best 2019, 2018, and 2016 by readers of the Arlington Sun Gazette. Ellice is Adjunct Professor of Law at the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School, teaching Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation since 2017. She also mediates court referred cases in D.C. Courts. Ellice is a graduate of Cornell University and Georgetown University Law Center.
Joyce Odidison
Joyce Odidison, MA, PCC, CTDP, a conflict analyst and corporate wellness trainer for 24 years, is founder of the comprehensive Wellness Improvement System® (WIS) and the Wellness Competency Mindset Teacher Coach Training. Joyce teaches the WIS®Relational Leadership program to boost emotional wellness and preserve mental health at work. Joyce hosts the What’s Happening at Work Podcast is Chair of the Global Workplace Wellness Summit, is author of five books, a speaker, Certified Training and Development Practitioner, Certified Professional Coach, and university lecturer.
Lorraine Schaeffer
Lorraine Schaffer did her BSc at Cornell and MSW at Rutgers before moving to London. She trained as a family mediator in 1995. She became the Director of Mediation at the Institute of Family Therapy in 2000 and taught post graduate courses in Conflict Resolution at Birkbeck, University of London.
Chip Rose, JD
Chip Rose has been a major contributor to the field of family mediation and collaborative practice since 1990. An active private practitioner of family mediation since 1980, he has provided training, techniques and practice models throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. He is past president of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators, as well as being a founding board member and the recipient of APFM’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Retired and living in Oregon, he is still active in the field and can be contacted at chiprosemediation@gmail.com.
Kristyn Carmichael
Kristyn Carmichael is a full-time Professional Divorce and Family Mediator, and Assistant Director of Mediation Services at The Aurit Center for Divorce Mediation in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as a licensed Arizona attorney. Kristyn is the also a Board member and the co-chair of Membership for the Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM).
Kenneth Cloke
Kenneth is a mediator, arbitrator, coach, consultant and trainer, specializing in resolving complex multi-party disputes, including transnational, marital, divorce, family, grievance and workplace disputes, organizational, public policy, and school conflicts, and designing preventative conflict resolution systems. He has worked in over 25 countries and is founder
and first President of Mediators Beyond Borders. He has published 15 books on conflict resolution, recently The Crossroads of Conflict and Politics, Dialogue and the Evolution of Democracy.
and first President of Mediators Beyond Borders. He has published 15 books on conflict resolution, recently The Crossroads of Conflict and Politics, Dialogue and the Evolution of Democracy.
Linda Fieldstone
Linda Fieldstone, M.Ed., is Co-Chair of the ACR/FLAFCC Elder Justice Initiative on Eldercaring Coordination and provides conflict resolution opportunities to families of all ages since being Supervisor of Family Court Services, Miami-Dade, Florida, servicing families in the court for 26 years. Linda is past president of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and involved in research, writing, training and consultation internationally. LindaFieldstone@outlook.com | www.EldercaringCoordinationFL.org
Fiona McAuslan
Fiona McAuslan is Director of the Legal Aid Board’s Family Mediation Service in Ireland. Before this position, she worked as a mediator for the service and had a busy private practice working in all aspects of mediation. Fiona is also an experienced trainer and Conflict Coach.
Over the last ten years, Fiona has worked with Peter Nicholson and Michael Lang on many publications such as the SALT Programme, a teacher resource programme that introduces appropriate conflict resolution and negotiation skills to children. The resolving book series includes Resolving bullying, Anger, Sibling Rivalry, and Bereavement and, more recently, the “Living with Separation and Divorce in Ireland” book that is now in the process of syndication in the US with a specific book for each state.
Email f.mcauslan@gmail.com and visit www.saltprogramme.com and www.resolvingbooks.com
Over the last ten years, Fiona has worked with Peter Nicholson and Michael Lang on many publications such as the SALT Programme, a teacher resource programme that introduces appropriate conflict resolution and negotiation skills to children. The resolving book series includes Resolving bullying, Anger, Sibling Rivalry, and Bereavement and, more recently, the “Living with Separation and Divorce in Ireland” book that is now in the process of syndication in the US with a specific book for each state.
Email f.mcauslan@gmail.com and visit www.saltprogramme.com and www.resolvingbooks.com
