Family Mediation Services
Trailhead Mediation is experienced in mediating family disputes with a special focus on co-parenting (parenting plans, emergent issues) and relationship transitions (separation, divorce, etc.).
While parties remain in the driver’s seat on outcomes, we support their deliberative process by helping them: stay focused; bridge communication and information gaps; generate and carefully think through options; break down complex tasks into manageable pieces; and memorialize any shared agreements.
As third-party neutrals, we do NOT provide legal representation or advice (i.e. case strategy, evaluation of the legal merits of a party’s claims) or file legal forms with the court. If you are interested in learning more about how to integrate legal support into your family mediation please contact our office for a consultation.
For the protection of all parties, Trailhead Mediation does not provide family mediation services in cases with active Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO’s) or in matters where there has a been a court finding of child sex abuse or there is a pending child sex abuse allegation.
Separation, Divorce, Committed Intimate Relationships
Trailhead Mediation offers a range of services for parties navigating through a trial separation or the end of a long term relationship, including:
Identifying goals
Creating interim arrangements
Dathering and sharing financial information
Making arrangements for children or other dependents
Working collaboratively with experts (attorneys, career counselors, financial planners, tax professionals, etc.) on complex issues
Parenting Plans
A good parenting plan is a road map that sets out shared expectations and responsibilities and provides a base level of predictability for everyone. Mediation allows co-parents to collaborate in envisioning that road map. While collaboration may be difficult, with support in the mediation room, parties often find they are able to come up with a plan that meets their needs much better than what a third-party decision-maker could do.
Trailhead Mediation facilitates long-range planning and decision-making on a wide range of topics, including:
Decision-making authority
Day-to-day, summer, and holiday schedules
Special medical or educational needs
Communication between co-parents and between each parent and child
Children’s use of tech
Extracurricular activities
Travel
Integrating new partners into your children’s lives and into decision-making
Parenting Plan Modifications
You did the work, you have a plan, the court process is done. Then someone moves, someone’s job changes, someone has a medical issue (i.e. life rolls on) and the plan on paper no longer works in the real world. Time to come back to the table.
Trailhead Mediation is ready to help parents adjust the plan as life changes, whether that means:
Working to find agreement on issues outside of the parenting plan;
Negotiating minor modifications to an existing parenting plan; or
Going back to the drawing board to jointly craft a proposal for major modifications to an existing parenting plan
We can help you stay focused, talk through the tough trade offs, and collaborate on a workable plan.
“Once parents’ formal relationship has ended, they often find themselves in a no-mans land, trying to navigate complex issues that a court won’t or can’t effectively assist with. Mediation offers privacy, creates a safe space for discussion, and helps focus co-parents on the issues that matter most. Parents love their children, and if they can be empowered to work together they usually find the best options for them. It is a joy to be part of that process, and to watch them build confidence and communication skills in mediation that turn down the temperature for everyone and allow more joy in family moments across homes.”- Elisa Ford