Victoria & Across BC

Family and Separation Mediation for Victoria and BC Families

I help separating couples work through the legal, financial and parenting decisions that come with separation and divorce. My practical, client-centred approach provides the structure, information and perspective you need to make informed decisions and reach solutions that work for your family.

What Family and Separation Mediation Can Help You Resolve

Separation involves many interconnected decisions. Family mediation can help you work through the parenting, financial and other issues that need to be resolved as you move forward.

Parenting

Focused on the best interest of the child/ren, while also ensuring these arrangements will work for both parents.

Financial

Focused on your goals, financial information and the BC Family Law Act.

Every family is different. You may need to address some of these issues, all of them or other matters specific to your circumstances. The mediation process can be tailored to what you need to resolve.

What is Family Mediation

Family mediation (also referred to as Separation Mediation, Divorce Mediation and Family Law Mediation) is a structured process that helps separating couples make decisions together with the support of a mediator. I help you identify the issues that need to be resolved, understand relevant information, explore options and consider the practical implications of different choices. You remain in control of the decisions that affect your family.

Separation is a project with many moving parts. My role is to help bring structure to those decisions, keep the process focused and help you work through them in a way that makes sense for your family. In my process you will make a lot of decisions together, which also supports decision-making after the mediation process – this is critical if you have children.

Who I Work With

I work with couples and families at different stages of separation and divorce.

Separating and Divorcing Parents

I help parents work through decisions about parenting, child support and the financial aspects of separation with a focus on creating arrangements that are both child-focused and workable for both parents.

Couples Without Children

Family mediation can also help couples without children resolve financial and property issues, including the division of assets and debts and spousal support.

Parents Who Have Already Separated

Mediation isn’t only for couples at the beginning of separation. I also work with parents who have been separated or divorced for some time when circumstances change, parenting arrangements need to be revisited or communication and co-parenting have become difficult.

How Family Mediation Works

Start the conversation

We begin by determining whether mediation is appropriate for your situation and whether my approach is a good fit for you.

Work through the issues that matter

Together, we focus on the parenting, financial and other decisions you need to resolve. I provide structure, information and practical guidance while you remain in control of the decisions.

Take the time you need

Most families resolve their issues in two to three shorter sessions and benefit from time between sessions to gather information, consider options or obtain advice. Family mediation does not have to be a one-day marathon.

Involve lawyers if or when helpful

You can mediate without lawyers present or involve them when you need independent legal advice or support at particular stages or not at all.

Work toward a comprehensive separation agreement

The goal is to help you make informed decisions and create a practical, workable path forward for your family.

What You Will Gain from My Mediation Process

Non-escalating Support

Child Focused Process

Decision Making Help

Reduced Stress and Cost

Ability to Move Forward

Read What Amy’s Mediation Clients are Saying

Choosing a family mediator is a personal decision, and hearing from people who’ve been through it can help. Below are some of the reviews from Amy’s family mediation clients across Victoria and BC who worked to create parenting plans, financial agreements and separation agreements. Read what they experienced to learn whether this approach might be the right fit for you.

Thank you so much for doing such an amazing job with [my former spouse] and myself. Thank you for making me feel comfortable through the process and for your knowledge that you shared with us when explaining various aspects of the process or answering my questions. You are very good at your job and I felt like I was in very knowledgeable and qualified hands. Thank you.

Victoria Family Mediation Client

I’m really grateful to have you as our mediator, your guidance and support through this process was amazing. It was easier than I expected. I really think that [my former spouse] and I will remain on good terms, which makes all the difference from here on out for our son and for both of us!

Victoria Family Mediation Client

I have been helping a friend through some of the nitty gritty of his divorce and the ramifications of the separation agreement that was written for him and his ex. It has made me realize just how skilled you are in your work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am very grateful for the care and attention you put into the important details that will have a large impact on the lives of my children.

Victoria Family Mediation Client

How to Get Started (3 Simple Steps)

Starting a separation can feel overwhelming, and you may not know whether mediation is the right fit for your situation.

Start With a Conversation

Contact me and tell me a little about your circumstances and what you are hoping to resolve.

Free Consultation

We’ll discuss your situation, how family mediation works and whether mediation may be appropriate for you.

There is no pressure to make a decision during the consultation. If mediation appears to be a good fit and both of you wish to proceed, I’ll explain the next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Mediation

Have questions about family mediation? Find clear answers to common questions and what to expect when working with a family mediator in Victoria, BC.

What issues can we work through in family mediation?

Family mediation can help separating spouses work through the many decisions involved in becoming financially and physically separate.

Depending on your circumstances, this can include parenting arrangements, parenting schedules, decision-making for children, child support, special expenses, the family home, other property, debts, investments, pensions, RRSPs, business interests and spousal support.

Not every family needs to address every issue, and not every issue requires the same amount of information or professional input.

My role is to help you identify what actually needs to be decided, organize the information you need, explore options and work toward a comprehensive agreement rather than resolving one issue in isolation and discovering later that it creates a problem somewhere else.

Can we use mediation if we don’t agree?

Yes. You do not need to agree with each other to begin mediation.

In fact, disagreement is often the reason people seek mediation. The purpose of the process is to help you understand the issues from both perspectives, identify what is important to each of you, consider options and work toward decisions you can both live with.

You do, however, need to be willing to participate in the process. My role is not to decide who is right or tell either person what they should agree to. I help keep the discussion productive, provide information and options when appropriate, reality-check proposals and help you move through areas of disagreement.

The goal is not to eliminate every difference of opinion. It is to help you make informed decisions and reach an agreement that works for your family.

Can we use family mediation without lawyers in the room?

Yes. Most of my clients choose to participate in mediation without lawyers present.

Self-represented mediation does not mean ignoring legal considerations. As a mediator, I can provide legal information, explain relevant concepts, identify issues that may need further consideration and help you understand the practical implications of different options. I do not provide legal advice or act as either person’s lawyer.

There are also different ways lawyers can be involved. You may choose to obtain legal advice before mediation, between sessions or before signing an agreement. Lawyers can also participate in mediation where that is appropriate.

My focus is not on keeping lawyers out of the process. It is on creating a process that is proportionate to the family’s circumstances and allows professional support to be used when it is most helpful.

Can we do family mediation online if we don’t live in Victoria or would rather do it from home?

Yes. I provide family mediation online throughout British Columbia, as well as, in person or online for my Victoria clients.

The same mediation process applies whether we meet online or in person. Online mediation can be particularly helpful when spouses live in different communities, when travel is difficult or when you prefer to participate from home.

Online mediation also makes it possible for families in communities across BC to access a mediator without needing to travel to Victoria.

If you are unsure whether online mediation would work for your circumstances, we can discuss that during the initial consultation.

CONNECT WITH US

Victoria BC Mediation Services Located in Oak Bay

Amy’s Victoria, BC office is located on Oak Bay Avenue near the Jubilee neighborhood, with free parking available nearby for in-person appointments. For clients anywhere else in British Columbia, online family mediation is available so you can meet from wherever’s most comfortable.