Designed as a practical hands-on manual or text for students and professors of social work, Therapeutic Family Mediationwill also prove highly useful to mental health practitioners, legal professionals and mediators, couples going through divorce, and community workers specializing in family services. Key Features: Guides the reader through the authors′ five-step model: Intake/Assessment, Pre-Mediation, Negotiation, Termination, and Follow-Up Outlines the use of parenting plans and financial plans Explores patterns of conflict and monetary issues Explains the process of drafting contracts Provides the tools necessary for assisting high-conflict couples and culturally diverse couples

"The text is filled with good advice, practical examples, and provides a strong grounding in TFM, as well as its theoretical underpinnings. It is useful for students and practitioners alike. The text is accessible and well-written. . ." --RESOLVE, Family Mediation Canada "This is an important text, making complex ideas easily accessible and thought provoking. It will certainly become essential reading for family mediation practitioners and of interest to therapists. . . " --Magazine for Family Therapy & Systemic Practice, UK Therapeutic Family Mediation is a practice-based text grounded in a therapeutic family mediation (TFM) model created by the authors. This is the first comprehensive treatment of the model, complete with clinical examples and practice strategies. The authors include a detailed review of the model′s five stages, accompanied by a discussion of theoretical underpinnings, practice techniques, the mediation of parenting and financial plans, the importance of cultural diversity, and research trends based on a thorough review of the literature. Contemporary issues associated with family mediation in the 21st century are employed to illustrate the model in action with a full-length case presentation. Key Features: Guides the reader through the authors′ five-step model: Intake/Assessment, Pre-Mediation, Negotiation, Termination, and Follow-Up Outlines the use of parenting plans and financial plans Explores patterns of conflict and monetary issues Explains the process of drafting contracts Provides the tools necessary for assisting high-conflict couples and culturally diverse couples Designed as a practical hands-on manual or text for students and professors of social work, Therapeutic Family Mediation will also prove highly useful to mental health practitioners, legal professionals and mediators, couples going through divorce, and community workers specializing in family services. About the Authors: Howard H. Irving, Ph.D., is a professor at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Social Work, and cross-appointed to the Faculty of Law. He was the Co-Director of the Joint Law and Social Work Program. Dr. Irving has been a practicing family mediator for the last 25 years. In the past few years, he has developed an international reputation, giving courses and speeches in the United States, Canada, Israel, and Hong Kong. Michael Benjamin, Ph.D., is a family sociologist, with specialized training in family mediation and family and marital therapy. He has been involved in family mediation for the past 20 years as a theorist, researcher, trainer, teacher, author, and practitioner, both privately and through the family court. Dr. Benjamin practices as a marital and family therapist, a custody and access assessor, and a research consultant.

First published in 1989. This book contains a straightforward, unembellished articulation of the how to of family and divorce mediation, enabling the reader to bring it to successful conclusion; emphasis on process and technique is amply illustrated by case presentations and analyses. The authors provide a well-thought-out discussion of the differences between mediation and counseling, and throughout the book, in their exposition of the mediation process, make clear how this differs from the adversarial process.

Building on the success of their groundbreaking 1988 Divorce Mediation, Folberg et al. now present the latest state-of-the-art, comprehensive resource on family and divorce mediation. Paving the way for the field to establish its own distinct discipline and academic tradition, this authoritative volume offers chapters contributed by leading mediation researchers, trainers, and practitioners. Detailed are the theory behind mediation practice, the contemporary social and political context, and practical issues involved in mediating divorce and custody disputes with contemporary families. Authors also address intriguing questions about professional standards and where the field should go from here. A groundbreaking resource, this volume is indispensable for all mental health and legal professionals working with families in transition.

Although there are a number of mediation books, none provide a step-by-step description of each stage in the process. This book, designed as a mediator's handbook, can be used by the practicing mediator to solve almost any problem. It can also be used by trainers to provide more basic information to trainee mediators, thus allowing them more time for practicing the skill in training. The book will also be of interest to students and practitioners of family therapy, to social workers, and counselors.

Preface by Hugh McIsaac Family mediation has quickly become a significant means of legal dispute resolution, recognized in most North American jurisdictions as a relief to already overburdened judicial systems. Using an innovative practical approach, the authors of Family Mediation incorporate the pivotal principles of family therapy into this new context--the judicial realm of family mediation. The practice model--therapeutic family mediation--thoroughly treats history, specific issues, and practice in an ecosystemic approach and responds to feminist critique of mediation. In addition, the authors offer important perspectives on mediating with multicultural populations and the role of the mediator in child custody disputes and child protection cases. Through examination of family mediation research as well as helpful case history vignettes, the authors of this volume take action to fill significant gaps between family therapy and mediation. Family Mediation provides a new take on family mediation that will benefit not only professionals and researchers in family studies, social work, clinical psychology, and sociology but also professional and volunteer mediators, conciliation court personnel, and family law specialists. "Family Mediation is an excellent blend of scholarship and practice, and it is the best of the books I have read on family mediation. First, it is clear and well written. Second, it provides an in-depth, current review of the divorce literature. The literature on divorce is large, uneven, and difficult to interpret. The authors have done a service to the profession by skillfully reviewing and integrating this literature." --Stephen J. Bahr, Brigham Young University "This book is one of the most comprehensive and well-researched texts on mediation to date. The authors have compiled an immense array of information regarding the history of family mediation, the practice and knowledge base, a review of literature regarding divorce, the principles of mediation, gender and cultural issues, elements in a child custody dispute, sharing parenting, cultural issues, and the use of mediation in dependency, and they include an excellent summary of research conducted. . . . Of particular value is the enormous scope of the review of literature and the work of others, not only in Canada but also the United States, Australia, and Great Britain, underscoring the international nature of this transformation. What Howard H. Irving and Michael Benjamin have done is chart a major shift in the handling of conflict and they have done it very well." --Family and Conciliation Courts Review "Howard H. Irving and Michael Benjamin have surveyed and summarized an immense amount of material within the covers of this volume, presenting it in a clear, readable style. It is one of the rare texts on mediation that does justice to the complexity of families generally and families in North America particularly--to their diversity of culture, to the scope of feminist thought and gender differences, and to the ranges of social class. Their attention to divergent forms of mediation and differences in practice across jurisdictions is broadly sighted. An excellent choice for a text in mediation." --Mary A. Duryee, Family Court Services, Alameda County, Oakland, CA "Howard H. Irving and Michael Benjamin grapple with what is the most difficult event that confronts almost half of all modern families--divorce. Historically, the developmental issues and problems surrounding divorce have been solved in the courts. But modern-day courts are overwhelmed by an avalanche of divorce cases, more than a million a year, and are unable to meet the needs of separating parties. Family Mediation offers a fundamentally different approach from the conventional legal system. The empirical research and clinical experience Irving and Benjamin bring to bear on this subject have resulted in the seminal work in this area. This delightful and thoughtful book is a must for the modern mediation practitioner who works with families and children." --Duncan Lindsey, Professor, UCLA, and Editor-in-Chief, Children and Youth Services Review "This book is unique in providing a complete overview of relevant subject areas for family mediation under one cover. Its writing is timely because it dispels some of the myths in the rapidly expanding field of family mediation. . . . Family Mediation is a comprehensive text that follows the development of family mediation through the present and concludes with the predictors of future directions. It is perhaps the most thorough critical review of the literature pertaining to family mediation and develops an inclusive practical model of practice for practitioners. The book is readable . . . responsible, and of interest to family mediators and the family law lawyers who work closely with them. It may become a must as a background for the novice family mediator about to embark on a course of training." --Laurel Pearson, McWhinney, Metcalfe, and Associates, Toronto, Canada

Long recognized as the authoritative guide for clinicians working with divorcing families, this book presents crucial concepts, strategies, and intervention techniques. Robert E. Emery describes how to help parents navigate the emotional and legal hurdles of this painful family transition while protecting their children's well-being. The book is grounded in cutting-edge research on family relationships, parenting, and children's adjustment, including Emery's groundbreaking longitudinal study of the impact of divorce mediation versus litigation. It provides a detailed treatment manual for mediating custody and other disputes, developing collaborative parenting plans, and fostering positive postdivorce family relationships. New to This Edition *Reflects the latest psychological research, as well as divorce and custody law. *Chapters on understanding and addressing divorcing partners' anger and grief. *Treatment manual chapters have been extensively revised. *Incorporates the author's 12-year follow-up study.