Divorce Mediation
If you choose to go the mediation route, we can act as a neutral third party, helping you reach agreements together about various issues surrounding your divorce.
What Is Divorce Mediation?
Divorce mediation is the process by which both parties, with the help of a neutral third party, work out agreements together on various issues surrounding their divorce.
The length of mediation varies. Sometimes agreements come easily, sometimes they take time and a lot of negotiation, and sometimes they result in the parties seeking alternative methods of resolution.
An open and free exchange of information frees up both spouses to negotiate with each other in confidence. Because both spouses are working with the same base of information, it usually takes far less time to negotiate a resolution that makes sense to both spouses. Mediation is voluntary. It continues only for as long as all three of you—your spouse, the mediator, and you—want it to. The benefit of working with Collaborative Divorce Strategies during mediation is that you have both a legal and a financial professional providing clarity and guidance throughout the entire process.
This is your mediation, and you decide everything in the process.
Our Co-Mediator
Kerry I. Rafanelli
As an experienced Mediator, Attorney Kerry I. Rafanelli fosters healthy communication as a neutral third-party between the parties; and provides the education, tools and support to help clients make rational, informed decisions to effectively come to an amicable agreement. His role in the Mediation process is to focus on all aspects of Rhode Island family law, as well as drafting the Marital Settlement Agreement, accurately capturing the parties mutual agreements on their behalf.
What's Our Role?
Communicate
The mediator’s job is to keep the lines of communication open, brainstorm ideas, reality-test the couple, teach empathy, and assist the couple in their decision-making process.
Focus
As mediators, we help keep you both focused and ensure you have buy-in about the outcome of your divorce. The result is resolutions with less conflict.
Analyze
Mediation is flexible and confidential, and the mediator is neutral and doesn’t advocate for either party. What the mediator can do, though, is assist the divorcing couple in formulating ideas that can eventually lead to enduring agreements time.
Educate
As mediators, Collaborative Divorce Strategies helps individuals and couples negotiate an equitable settlement and plan for their future. We provide the tools and information to make those decisions together while analyzing various settlement scenarios from a financial standpoint.