One of the many qualities I like about the members of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (NYSCDM) is that they make ongoing learning and education a career-long priority. Throughout the year, our members come together at various educational events including conferences, symposia, peer groups and webinars to learn new strategies and methods to help couples who are separating and divorcing.

Divorce mediators are specially trained, neutral third parties that help couples by using a voluntary settlement process that gives families the option to plan their futures rationally, and in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual respect. Divorce mediators help couples can reach agreements that are custom-made and make the most sense for families.

During my initial consultation, when I meet a couple for the first time, I think it’s important to put some context to the mediation process before they decide whether mediation is appropriate for them. So in addition to describing the process, distinguishing mediation from litigation and laying out the general topics and issues we will be working on together, I often offer two analogies to illustrate a way of thinking about how we will be accomplishing our goals. Read the rest of Ada's blog to learn how mediation is like a jigsaw puzzle or launching a ship.

When I attend various networking events, or if I am meeting a person for the first time and sharing with them what I do for a living, I often speak about divorce mediation in terms of it being a more holistic approach to divorce.  We often hear the term holistic used in medicine. So what does this really mean when used to characterize a divorce process?

If you Google holistic, you will find the following definition: “characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just physical symptoms of the disease.”