Family Dispute Resolution or Mediation is compulsory before parents can apply to the Family Court to organise shared care arrangements for their children or financial settlements.

 

Mediation can help those involved in family breakdown to communicate better with one another and reach their own decisions about all or some of the issues arising from separation or divorce. It can also assist parents to make joint decisions about their separate futures including financial and property settlements, and shared care arrangements for the children. It can reduce misunderstanding and continued conflict and enable parents to work towards a co-operative parenting arrangement.

Often people come to realise that the experience of separation has uncovered many other parts of themselves that they were unaware of whilst in the relationship such as family of origin issues, addictions, anger management and may need counselling support. This could be short term counselling that will enable them to increase awareness of the separation process and the triggers that keep the conflict continuing with their ex partner and enable them to come to terms with these emotions and experiences during separation and find a way to move forward.

Sometimes  people may wish to engage in longer term psychotherapy to look at issues in more depth.  This can be particularly beneficial if there are significant family of origin issues that are affecting a person's ability to have and maintain healthy relationships.