Family Mediation

When significant issues arise within families, mediators can often help resolve the situation without the pain and cost of formal legal action. Using the widely respected Mediators Without Borders INACCORD® conflict resolution model, you will learn the skills and practices for mediating disputes within families.

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Job Outlook for Family Mediators
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts 8% growth among Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators between now and 2029. This is much faster than expected growth for all jobs. The BLS notes that mediation is almost always quicker and less expensive than trials and litigation. In addition, many contracts include clauses that require disputes to be decided through mediation or arbitration. According to ZipRecruiter.com, Family Mediators earn $85,462 per year, on average. The site notes that 75% of Family Mediators earn over $42,500 per year.

Course Objectives

  • Articulate the use of the INACCORD® Conflict Analysis model for use family mediation
  • Examine the Three Phases and Four Stages of the InAccord® model
  • Explore the pre-interview and post-interview phases of the INACCORD® mediation as applied to family disputes
  • Apply the Touchstone Skills of questioning, reflecting, and reframing to simulated mediation cases
  • Apply INACCORD® surveys to simulated cases and analyze the results
  • Examine ways the conflict is generated in families
  • Understand theories related to family systems and apply concepts to common disputes
  • Understand the mental and physical effects of aging and its effects on families
  • Examine probate and estate disputes and how mediation helps bring resolution
  • Explore family business disputes and apply mediation to their resolution

  • INACCORD® MEDIATION
    • Learn about the justice and alternative dispute resolution. Receive an overview of the INACCORD® Conflict Analysis Model. Study the first of the Touchstone Skills, craft the memorandum of agreement, study special issues in mediation, and legal processes.
  • INACCORD® APPLIED PRACTICE
    • Understand the conflict analysis and Touchstone Skills in practice. Facilitate an INACCORD® intervention. Facilitate the InAccord caucus, various interventions, and cover ethical dilemmas and mitigation.
  • FAMILY MEDIATION
    • Learn about common conflicts in families, family mediation skills, systems theory and families, and how to address parents and children. Explore mediation disputes around aging, family business mediation, estate and probate mediation, and ethic.

This online class will begin within 24-hours of student enrollment. Students will have 6-months to access their course and will complete approximately 240 hours of course work during this time.

Instructor

  • Brian Luther 


Brian Luther is a Colorado licensed attorney and certified mediator and arbitrator. He has more than 15 years of mediation and dispute resolution experience. He spent eight years supervising and mentoring attorneys at LexisNexis, a leading legal research corporation and over five years as Lead Trainer and Internship Supervisor for Mediators Without Borders. Luther presides as an impartial Hearing Officer for the City of Longmont, Colorado and was just appointed as an alternate board member for the City of Longmont Board of Adjustments & Appeals. He is a graduate of Rutgers University and has a law degree from the New England School of Law.

 

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Family Mediation FAQs

 

WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF A FAMILY MEDIATOR?Mediators arrange and carry out a communication process between people who have serious or material conflicts. Family Mediators use a communication framework such as the Mediators Without Borders INACCORD® conflict resolution model to resolve conflicts within families and between family members. WHAT KINDS OF CONFLICTS HAPPEN IN FAMILIES?Family mediators may work in any family conflict that cannot be resolved by the family itself. They commonly help resolve parent-child conflicts, divorce or child custody agreements. This course also prepares you to handle conflicts in more specialized areas such as disagreements with aging family members and probate and estate conflicts. ARE FAMILY MEDIATORS LICENSED?Although there is no general licensing requirement for mediators, local or state governments, courts or agencies may require training or evidence of certification before you can serve as a Family Mediator. Please check with your local and state governments and social agencies for their specific requirements.