Resolving Conflicts Peacefully

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“This mediator was so warm and professional! I would recommend her for any future mediations.”

“Thank you for working with my client and helping resolve his dispute. You did a good job in bringing the parties together.”

“Thank you so much, really…I know it’s your profession; however, you made it so very personal and real and treated us as two people going through a hard transition… thank you so much.”

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Why Choose Divorce Mediation in Florida? Benefits & Process

It is universally agreed that when possible, allowing parties to make their own decisions that impact their own family with the assistance of a family mediator is much better than having a judge tell everybody what to do.

In Florida, mediation is a central part of the divorce process. Whether or not you are represented by an attorney, most divorcing couples will attend mediation. In fact, approximately 95 percent of Florida divorce cases resolve through mediation and never proceed to trial. Even parties who file for divorce on their own are typically referred to mediation by the court. Many couples, with or without counsel, also choose to mediate voluntarily before filing or at any stage of the proceedings.

The greatest benefit of divorce mediation is that it allows couples to make their own decisions about matters that directly affect their finances and their children, rather than placing deeply personal family issues in the hands of a judge with limited familiarity with their lives. Mediation encourages thoughtful, collaborative decision-making, reduces conflict, and often results in more durable and satisfactory outcomes for everyone involved.

The benefits of mediation in family matters includes

a greater sense of control and autonomy throughout the process,
a safe and structured setting to express concerns and emotions, and the opportunity to openly discuss parenting and time-sharing arrangements.
Mediation also provides space to explore creative alternatives and mutually beneficial solutions, while helping reduce trauma for children by demonstrating constructive and respectful conflict resolution.

Mediation may be voluntary or court-ordered. Most Florida family courts require mediation before a case is placed on the judge’s calendar or proceeds to trial. If you have an attorney, your attorney will arrange the mediation. If you are not represented, you may arrange mediation directly. Parties may also agree to mediate before filing their case or at any point during the proceedings.

Setting the Agenda in Divorce Mediation

When we think about divorce and other family issues, we focus on the classic issues of marital property, support, and parenting.

The agenda for the mediating family matters is often overwhelming, both emotionally and financially, and it involves navigating a complex legal process. To bring structure and clarity to that process, Deborah guides the mediation using the PEACE framework, which provides a logical and strategic order for addressing all divorce-related issues.

Addressing these issues in this sequence is not merely a matter of convenience. It is essential to achieving outcomes that are fair, efficient, and legally sound. Each component builds on the one before it, and following this order helps avoid unnecessary conflict, delay, and unintended consequences later in the process.

PEACE stands for:

As your mediator:

Highlights of the Advantages:

Saves Time: Litigation can often take many months or years depending upon the complexity of the case and the degree of conflict. Mediation can be completed in one or several sessions.
Saves Money: The average cost of a litigated divorce is about $25,000 with costs going much higher if the parties use the courts to engage in all out war.
Saves Relationships: The animosity that develops in litigation is particularly damaging in family law, where the parties may deal with each other for years after the trial is over. Rather than fostering hostility, mediation helps the parties develop the skills necessary to continue discussing, negotiating, and cooperating with each other for the long term.
Better Compliance: When couples have the opportunity to work out their own agreement, they are more likely to abide by the agreement and avoid additional litigation costs to enforce it later.
Privacy: Often litigation involves matters the parties may wish to keep private. All documents filed with the court are public records that can be viewed upon request. Mediation, with its protection of confidentiality, is well suited to protect the privacy interests of the parties.
Creativity: The couple can be creative in crafting solutions to their unique issues whereas a judge, who must get through a big caseload, usually applies cookie cutter solutions without considering the couples uniqueness.
Self determination: No one knows what is best for you better than you do, and in mediation, all decisions are yours. There is no judge or arbitrator to impose a decision upon you.

Call Deborah Beylus at 561.789.0710 to arrange for a free telephone consultation.

Why Mediate

For Attorney

Unrepresented Parties

Certified Divorce Financial Analyst®

We chose Deborah as our mediator because she took the time to speak with us during an initial consultation and made us feel heard right from the start. It was also a huge plus that her services included court filing, which made the process more streamlined and less stressful. Throughout our meetings, Deborah was generous with her time, patient, and thoughtful. She helped guide us through discussions that led to an outcome both of us felt good about. We’re grateful for her support and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a fair and compassionate mediator.

Martha Wood

“My wife and I have had over 50 years experience working with children and families. We are keenly aware of when individuals do their jobs or when the rare circumstance occurs and people move their level of commitment to a higher level. You have humbled me as you have taken me under your wings and worked to ensure a better quality of life for me and my soon to be ex-wife. Your willingness to hold my hand and walk me through complex issues during an emotional time for us has been extraordinary. I have tears in my eyes as I sit here and thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have done and helped me to accomplish.”

“I just wanted to thank you for the excellent work you did as it pertains to my divorce from my wife. Your attention to detail really made every aspect of our agreement so much easier to address. I appreciate your efforts to conduct a sound mediation session to assist me in resolving all of our issues so that we can both move on with our lives. My children are fortunate that we are able to work together to raise them without the constant fighting. You helped us iron out a clear schedule and division of responsibilities so we can co-parent. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”