High Conflict Co-Mediation

When the couple’s relationship has been characterized by strong, negative emotions or when these emotions are driven by anxiety over high-stakes issues—such as a large or complex marital estate—early intervention with a structured process can help prevent the conflict from spiraling out of control.

High Conflict Co-Mediation sessions are based on the Basic Mediation model, except that:

• There is a team of two co-mediators;
• Communication between the parties is restricted to email, with clear rules, and are monitored by the mediators;
• A financial specialist is called in to review the parties’ financial documents early on as a first step toward addressing deep-rooted issues concerning trust;
• Caucusing, in which the mediators will meet separately with each party, is used when parties are unable to work cooperatively face-to-face or when there is intimidation.
• Mediators emphasize teaching communication skills.
• Additional interventions will be used as needed.

Advantages of using High Conflict Co-Mediation:

• Parents learn productive communication skills.
• Parents learn and discover skills to minimize and control the conflict in their divorce as well as with respect to their co-parenting.
• Children are exposed to less parental conflict.
• When parents are unable or unwilling to engage in cooperative parenting, mediation helps them create clear guidelines for parallel parenting so that they can disengage from one another and focus on their child’s well-being.
• Parents learn that they are able to resolve problems without resorting to the courts.