Choose a Qualified Divorce Mediator

Why it is important to choose a qualified divorce mediator.

Imagine this. It’s Christmas, and your relatives are over for dinner. After the turkey, mashed potatoes, and carrots have been passed around, you politely ask your brother-in-law to pass the gravy. As he reaches for the gravy, he kindly tells you and your wife how wonderful the dinner is. Then addressing the table, he invites everyone to his and your sister’s mortgage burning party. Your fork slips from your fingers and lands on the table with a clang. What? How’s that possible? Your sister is younger than you! First it was the vacation home, then it was the Porsche. “That’s it,” you say to yourself. “I must get my finances in order!” And this time you mean it. The problem is, you don’t know where to start. You need help. So, at that moment, you decide to hire a financial planner.

If this was you, then which would you hire? A financial planner who is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), or one who isn’t? Most likely, you would choose the one who is a CFP. Why? Because the CFP designation identifies individuals who have met rigorous professional standards as determined by the CFP Board of Standards. In other words, they are qualified. Therefore, when choosing a divorce mediator, the same logic applies.

When a couple is facing divorce, the conventional process is for each individual to hire a lawyer and litigate. However, due to cost and adversarial nature of litigation, more couples are turning to mediation to settle their divorce. As a result, the number of divorce mediation practices outside the legal community has been rising. Not all divorce mediators are equal. So, like choosing a financial planner, how do you know you are choosing a qualified divorce mediator?

Qualified Mediator (Q.Med.) and Chartered Mediator (C.Med)

How do you know you are choosing a qualified divorce mediator?

Accreditation distinguishes a mediator who is suitably qualified from one who may not be. In Canada, that is the Qualified Mediator (Q.Med.), or a Chartered Mediator (C.Med) designation granted by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC).

The ADR Institute of Canada states:

“The Qualified Mediator designation is to recognize members who have completed sufficient mediation and related dispute resolution training to be qualified to practice as mediators.  It is an intermediate step for mediators working to receive their Chartered Mediator designation. The credential will assist the public to select a mediator who has been reviewed to determine if that mediator is qualified by training to conduct mediations.

The designation assists the mediator by providing a nationally recognized credential to show that the mediator has met nationally and regionally set standards for training and/or experience as a mediator.

The Chartered Mediator designation recognizes a “generalist competence” at a high level; the goal being to assist the public in finding experienced and qualified mediators.

These designations allow our members to convey their level of experience and skill to prospective users of their services based on an objective third party assessment.

Highly experienced members can apply for the Chartered Mediator (C.Med) and the Chartered Arbitrator (C.Arb), designations. These designations are known and respected across Canada and internationally. These are the most senior designation offered by the Institute.”

At Leap! Divorce Solutions, our Divorce Mediator is accredited as a Chartered Mediator from the  ADR Institute of Canada and is also a Registered Family Mediator of Alberta from Alberta Family Mediation Society.

Family Mediation Practice Standards

Staying ahead of Legislation Changes

As of January 1, 2014, family law mediators in the province of British Columbia have to meet minimum training and practice standards to comply with the Province’s Family Law Act. Specifically, a family law mediator must have at least two years of experience in a family-related field. They also have to complete specified training in family law, mediation theory and skills development, and family violence.

At the present time, the Province of Alberta does not have such a requirement. However, at Leap! Divorce Solutions, we want to be ahead of the standards and legislation requirements. Our Divorce Mediator has a Bachelor-level degree, over 200 hours of Conflict Resolution training, and has completed 40 hours of Separation and Divorce Mediation. Training includes instruction on the division of property, the creation of parenting plans, the calculation of child support, and the determination of spousal support. Furthermore, our Divorce Mediator must complete a minimum of 20 hours of continued professional development each year to keep her memberships active and in good standing.

Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA)

What is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst?

Couples going through divorce and separation face numerous day-to-day financial challenges. At Leap! Divorce Solutions, our Divorce Mediator is not only a certified professional mediator, but is also accredited as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) from the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA). It is important to note that a CDFA™ designation does not certify an individual as a qualified divorce mediator. Rather, the CDFA™ designation is granted by the Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts (IDFA™) to certify individuals as professionals in the financial issues of divorce.

The IDFA™ states:

“the role of the CDFA™ is to assist the client and his/her lawyer to understand how the financial decisions he/she makes today will impact the client’s financial future.”

At Leap! Divorce Solutions we believe it is important to combine mediation with financial knowledge as it specifically relates to divorce. The result is that our Divorce Mediator can facilitate the best possible resolutions for our clients.

So, you have made one of the most difficult decisions in your life, and you feel anxious and uncertain about your future and what lies ahead. Who are you going to choose?

Choose Leap! Divorce Solutions. We are qualified to facilitate you through this challenging process. “Confidence to move forward” is not just our motto. It’s our mission.

 

Divorce mediation is an alternative to litigation. If you are separating with your spouse or going through divorce, click HERE to find out why mediation might be right for you.