As an experienced divorce lawyer and mediator, I’ve encountered numerous misconceptions surrounding divorce mediation.
Here are some of the most common ones:
🚫 Myth: Mediation is only for amicable divorces.
✅ Fact: Mediation can be effective in both amicable divorces and high-conflict divorces with the right structure and support systems in place.
🚫 Myth: Mediation is a one-size-fits-all solution.
✅ Fact: Each mediation process is tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of the divorcing couple, ensuring personalized resolutions.
🚫 Myth: Mediation is a quick fix.
✅ Fact: While mediation can expedite the divorce process, it requires time and commitment from both parties to reach mutually beneficial agreements.
🚫 Myth: Mediation undermines legal representation.
✅ Fact: Mediation complements legal advice, empowering individuals to make informed decisions while preserving amicable relationships.
Don’t let misconceptions cloud your understanding of divorce mediation.
As a trusted divorce mediator and lawyer, I’m here to guide you through the process with clarity and expertise. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Beryl McNeill is a Calgary divorce lawyer who strongly believes mutual respect and understanding go a long way toward resolving family law matters. As a Registered Collaborative Law practitioner in Calgary, she has dedicated her firm to amicable, cooperative negotiation as a means for settling divorces. Furthermore, throughout her law career, Beryl has seen the costs of adversarial negotiations, both financial and emotional. In emphasizing the collaborative approach, Beryl offers her clients a more efficient model that preserves personal and monetary assets alike.
More and more individuals are attracted to resolving their family law matters in a civil, respectful way. Therefore, they come to Beryl from many walks of life—as professionals in the oil and gas industry and their spouses, business owners, and working spouses with children. Clients say that even after a single consultation with Beryl they feel less stressed and more clear about the way forward.
Beryl understands the often fearful, emotional early stages of divorce. Incorporating skills developed from her training as a life coach, Beryl helps clients move beyond their stress response to more logical, creative thinking. Once there, she works with clients to discover what’s truly important to them in attaining divorce. Furthermore, she encourages clients to picture what a successful settlement would look like a year or more down the road as a means of focusing on their goals. By educating and empowering clients, Beryl seeks to transform the way they resolve family disputes—in a more constructive, intelligent and amicable way than would be possible otherwise.
Finally, Beryl is very active with the Family Bar and the Collaborative Law Community. Her involvement provides her clients with the assurance that she has her finger on the pulse of Family Law in Alberta, offering them a distinct advantage in their quest for equity and civility.