Category Archives: Mediation | Eileen Coen, JD Family and Divorce Mediation
Want to Avoid a Long Divorce?
The 17-year long divorce proceedings of two law professors in Ohio have been highly publicized in the news recently. While their protracted case made headlines, most of us have heard a story or two about a horrible divorce that went on for years – and years. Here are some of the issues a couple,… Read More »
Is Mediation Appropriate for Couples Who Want to Reconcile?
One of the first questions I ask my clients is “Has there been a decision to divorce?” I ask because couples seek help at various stages of their marriage crisis. Sometimes both people are quite sure they’re ready for divorce. Often, only one person is. And sometimes, neither party is sure they want a divorce, but… Read More »
An International Parenting Plan for Hannah
Eliza is an American, who works for an international aid agency. She is about to embark on a two-year assignment in Jordan. Peter is German. He is an economist with plans to return to his home country to teach at a university. Together, they are trying to work out custody for their six-year-old daughter,… Read More »
International Divorce and Parenting Across Borders
Today, we live in a global society where international marriages and divorces are increasingly prevalent. While international marriage may no longer work, the international family is forever. This article will address the parenting and relocation issues unique to international couples going through a divorce. It is not unusual for one or both parents to… Read More »
The Role of Conflict Coaching in Divorce Mediation
What do conflict coaching and mediation have in common? Like mediation, the conflict coaching process is voluntary, confidential, and involves a neutral facilitator to address ways to resolve conflict; divorce mediation helps two or more people arrive at mutual agreements whereas conflict coaching helps one party understand and manage conflict.
Your Essential Guide to the Divorce Mediation Process
As a divorce mediator serving families in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia, I frequently receive inquiries about divorce mediation, like this one: Dear Eileen, My spouse and I want a non-adversarial divorce and we are looking for an experienced Maryland divorce mediator to help us. Can you tell me how the process works, how… Read More »
Private School and Divorce Economics
When the increased costs of maintaining two households strain the family’s budget, parents face the arduous task of making unwelcomed economic decisions. For divorcing parents whose children have been attending private school, one of the trickiest is whether or not to continue paying tuition. On the one hand, parents want to minimize the impact… Read More »
How to Get A Divorce: When Being “Right” is Wrong
Many people begin the divorce mediation process with at least one thing in common: Both parties want their divorce to be cooperative, quick, and cost-effective. That’s what they say at the outset and, I believe, that’s what they truly mean. However, once the negotiations begin, well-meaning people can fall into a trap that deepens… Read More »
7 Reasons Your Spouse Might Agree to Divorce Mediation
I can’t tell you how many times I receive phone calls from people seeking an uncontested divorce in Maryland, DC, or Virginia, but don’t know how to get their spouse to participate in mediation. Maybe the spouse is too angry or hurt or skeptical to try mediation. Maybe they already have a lawyer who… Read More »
The Gay Divorce Dilemma: Some Silver Linings
Same-sex couples always found it hard to get married. Now that they can, they are finding it even harder to get divorced. While it’s possible to run off to, say, Vermont or Massachusetts to get married, it is not possible to obtain a divorce the same way. That’s because getting married is not a… Read More »
