PREFACE: From Adversary Lawyer to Mediator
PART ONE: AN INTRODUCTION TO MEDIATION
Choosing Mediation
How to decide whether the process is right for you.
An Inside Look at Mediation
What goes on behind the closed doors-laying the ground rules, getting to the heart of the issues, uncovering solutions.
Choosing a Mediator
The questions to ask to ensure that you make a wise decision.
PART TWO: THE CASES
To Mediate or Not to Mediate
Martin and Claire prove that for mediation to work, both parties must truly want to participate.
Would I Lie to You?
Honesty is a key to successful mediation, as Louise and Kurt learn the hard way.
Implacable, Immutable, Inflexible
Nick and Marie wrestle with the issue of spousal support-Nick would rather go to jail than pay it.
Tell Me What to Do
Mediation involves making sometimes-painful decisions for yourselves, a process that Annie and Roger would rather avoid.
If I'm Not Yours, Who Am I?
Dennis and Mimi are at opposite ends of the Spectrum. He desperately wants to divorce; she desperately does not.
The Deep Pocket Strikes Back
Money is the issue for Becky and Eric; he's got plenty but would rather not part with it.
A Case of Abuse
Les and Christine discover that the legacy of physical abuse is not easily overcome and that violence and mediation don't mix.
It's Your Fault
Allison and Hank each blame the other for the failure of their marriage. The question is whether they can get beyond the attacks and reach a settlement.
A Separate Grief
Devastated by the death of their baby, Jake and Claudia can't even be in the same room together. But by mediating separately, they break the stalemate and begin to heal their wounds.
The Balloon that Burst
It takes only two sessions for Lainie and Tom to come to an agreement, but it all falls apart when Tom consults an outside lawyer.
Too Early to Run
Jim and Sally want to divide their property, arrange spousal support, and devise a co-parenting agreement all within a week-and they haven't even separated yet!
A Change of Heart
Darla and Larry are on the verge of an agreement when Darla's deep-seated resentments surface and turn the mediation on its end.
AFTERWORD: Cause for Hope
RESOURCES: A Guide to Finding a Mediator Near You
INDEX
