Family Mediation
Are You Undergoing A Separation Or Divorce?
Do you need a neutral third party to help negotiate the terms of your mediation report?
Could you benefit from having a humane, collaborative environment where you and your spouse can sort through logistics together?
Do you want to create a parenting plan, resolve child and spousal support obligations, and determine matrimonial property division peacefully, without court intervention, and at a lower cost?
If you’re initiating a separation or divorce in Ontario, you may know that you have the option of going through the courts to determine how you and your spouse will split up assets and parenting time—or going through a mediator. Mediation offers a more peaceful, more autonomous process as you and your spouse come to a joint, civil consensus about how to proceed.
As an accredited member of the Ontario Association of Family Mediators (OAFM), I am a neutral third party who offers creative, actionable solutions that can positively transform your family unit. Furthermore, I maintain unique training and specialisation as a mediator who works with families with neurodivergent children.
If You’re The Parent Of A Neurodivergent Child, You’re Probably Facing Additional Challenges In The Separation/Divorce Process
Parenting a neurodivergent child/neurodivergent children can put a lot of stress on a marriage. In fact, statistics show that there tend to be higher rates of conflict and divorce in families with neurodivergent children. [1] As the adoptive parent of two children on the Autism Spectrum myself, I can identify with the unique challenges these parents face and know how to create a strong co-parenting plan that can withstand the transition of divorce, including educational, behavioural, social, and mental health-related concerns.
This process is complicated enough as is. My goal for mediation is to facilitate a sense of shared peace, collaboration, and confidence in an amicable separation that keeps your family out of the courtroom.
Have any questions? Send Me a message!
Hi, I’m Uda Hodder-Gerginis, And Welcome To Phoenix Family Mediation Solutions
While I cannot offer legal advice in the role of mediator, I have ample experience and a deep network in the field that allows me to get results for my clients, including my work as:
A former family lawyer with training in mental health and disability law
A former financial investment planner and advisor at two leading bank-owned brokerages on Bay Street
An adoption advocate
An Ontario government-trained and Pre-Adoption Parent Trainer for couples looking to adopt domestically and internationally
An ASD certificate holder from Kerry’s Place Autism Services
My Approach
No matter your child’s age or ability, I take a very child-centered approach to mediation, incorporating the belief that through a divorce or separation, the centre of the family moves from the marriage to the child. At Phoenix Family Mediation Solutions, the name Phoenix— inspired by the mythical bird that rises from the ashes—is meant to signal rebirth and regrowth through transformation. This symbol speaks to the resilience and strength that can emerge from even the most difficult family transitions.
Litigation is necessary in some cases, but the long-term goal of mediation is to keep you out of a contentious battle in the courtroom, especially if you have children who are particularly sensitive to conflict and change. If legal or financial advice is required, I will connect you with trusted professionals in the area who can offer their expertise.
There are many family mediators available throughout Ontario, but I offer a unique and extensive combination of education, skills, and lived experience that is hard to find elsewhere.
What To Expect
My mediation services are offered in person or virtual or a mix of both—whatever suits your needs—and include the following:
Parenting Plan* (parent decision making, scheduling/sharing parenting time, travel logistics, change of residence and location, parenting coaching)
Child Support (monthly table support and extraordinary expenses)
Spousal Support (income need and compensatory)
Matrimonial Property Division
*Mediations generally follow this structure, though parenting plans are always individualised to the unique needs of each family. Parenting coaching can be an essential aspect of peacefully transforming the family unit—particularly among parents of neurodivergent children—as clients learn how to maintain a strong co-parenting approach through mediation.
At the outset of the process, an intake will be performed to assess issues from each individual’s perspective and ensure that mediation is, indeed, appropriate. From there, I facilitate joint discussions about the parenting plan before pivoting to spousal issues involving property and finances.
If an agreement is successfully reached, the next step is to prepare a summary in a mediation report that can be used to form the basis of an official separation agreement or settlement. All in all, this process is designed to be a compassionate, effective dispute-resolution model that empowers you to make decisions within the shadow of the law.
Common Concerns About Family Mediation
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Private family mediation is significantly less costly than litigation through the courts or using lawyers to settle only a fraction of issues. Not only can you experience the benefit of resolving legal matters with a neutral yet compassionate third party through private mediation—you’ll also receive individualized parenting coaching to help you navigate this transition in your family.
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Every case is different, but comprehensive mediation usually takes about 8 to 12 sessions to go through every step. Parenting Plans with support issues take less. The intake will help us get an idea of how extensive the mediation needs to be, which will determine the overall cost. Clients are likely to get through mediation more quickly if they approach the process with a sense of readiness and commitment.
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It’s disappointing not to get the results you want out of the mediation process. I find that clients often feel this way, in particular, when the impact of their child’s disability and/or mental health needs is misunderstood. As a former family lawyer with expertise in disability law and mother of two on the Autism Spectrum, I assure you that my combination of professional skills and personal perspectives will allow you to feel heard and validated through the mediation process.
Find Peace And Transformation Through Transition
The family unit does not need to be decimated through the process of divorce—it can merely be transformed for the benefit of the children in it. To learn more about my family mediation services, contact me.
[1] https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/89-628-x/2008009/charts/5201048-eng.htm
