Better Solutions for Family Law Disputes

Divorce, Child Custody, Elder Care, Inheritance

South Bay Mediation Newsletter

 

 

September 2013

For Families in Conflict and Those Who help Them
This newsletter offers information and resources to assist those seeking effective resolution of divorce and family conflicts. For more information about South Bay Mediation, informative videos, and how to schedule a free consultation...Click Here

me 

Eric Piety, MA

Using Mediation to Keep Your Cool

During Divorce and Beyond

By Silvana D. Raso 

While most divorcing parents try to make their split an amicable one, wading through the issues of parenting time, custody arrangements and child support can lead to turmoil for even the most well-intentioned of parents.

 

The stress of the situation can continue even after the divorce is over.
 
A recent example from the entertainment headlines provides great insight into how even couples who have gone through the "perfect" divorce can find themselves in turmoil. Two years ago, White Stripes lead singer, Jack White and his wife, model Karen Elson, announced their split by jointly throwing a party to celebrate their divorce. Certainly, they represented the ideal of what divorcing parents should strive to attain. That is, they seem to have worked out all of their issues and still liked each other enough to celebrate each other by throwing a party together. However, over the past two years things have gone poorly, resulting in a judge recently granting Elson a restraining order against White, allowing him to contact his wife via email only. This stemmed from a series of threatening emails from White, discouraging his ex-wife from communicating with her counsel in order to coerce her into acting against what he thought to be the children's best interests. According to the court filing, White has recently urged Elson to contact their children's private school to have their son placed in a different class from the child of another entertainer whom White feels has "ripped off" his music.

If a couple who went through such a seemingly perfect divorce could find themselves in turmoil two years after their split, what hope is there for the average couple who finds themselves in turmoil from the onset? One solution is to have a mutual third-party help find middle ground between the parents.
 

 Click here to read entire article 

South Bay Mediation is Expanding!
Addition of New Mediator and New Offices in Pasadena, Westlake Village, and Newport Beach
 
South Bay Mediation is excited to announce its recent association with Steven Unruh, MDiv, MFT. Drawing from his vast experience as a family therapist, Steven's mediation skills are a perfect fit with the caring and supportive, yet focused and efficient style of South Bay Mediation.
unruh
Steven Unruh, MDiv, MFT
 

ABOUT STEVEN UNRUH 

 

Steven grew up in Minnesota.  At an early age he learned how to shovel snow and chip ice off his father's car. His grandfather taught him how to keep a worm on a fish hook.  After college in St. Paul, he moved to Oakland, CA in order to work with an inner- city non-profit. Wanting real life experiences, he spent the next 4 years working cross- culturally, counseling teens and their families and developing community programs for families going through a trauma or crisis.

 

After Oakland, Steven moved to Southern California to attend Fuller School of Psychology and Fuller School of Theology.   Soon after completing two gradate degrees, he settled into a private practice and marriage.

 

Part of Stevens ability to help families and couples in crisis, whether illness or divorce, are his varied life experiences and education, both in Israel and South East Asia.  He displays a natural ability to be fair yet impartial, compassionate yet firm.  His goal for you, whether in counseling or mediation - is to get to the issues quickly and then help you establish goals and solutions, in an efficient manner.

 

Steven is unique in his mediation and counseling skills.  His education, life experience, and at home practice with conflict resolution raising three young boys, says that he is willing to work hard for you. 

  Let Steven help you with your conflict, by creating practical and reasonable solutions today! 

 

7 Mistakes to Avoid 

When Going Through a Divorce 

By Toby King   

The entire divorce process can be very complicated and can leave you emotionally and financially exhausted.

couple 1

Unfortunately, due to the nature of divorce, the mistakes you can commit during the process can affect you for life. Knowing what these mistakes are and making sure you avoid them will help you go through the divorce process smoothly.

Failing to Understand the Legal Aspects of Divorce

Unless you're a law student, there's really very little chance that you understand the legal aspects of divorce at all. This doesn't mean you should just leave everything to your lawyer, however. As much as possible, try to research about the subject on your own and find out what your rights are, what things you need to consider, and what other things you need to expect as soon as the legal process starts.

Treating the Entire Process as a Contest

It's really easy to get carried away by your emotions and treat the Courtroom as a battleground where your ultimate prize at the end are your kids and the properties you believe you have the right to. Believing that your spouse is your enemy and that you have to hurt him or her is wrong, however. As much as possible, you would want the entire process to end with you and your ex-spouse having a good environment to raise your kids.

Not Considering the Mediation Option

Whether your divorce is of a friendly nature or not, having a third party help you and your ex-spouse come up with an agreement before heading for court can be very important. In most cases, it is the quickest way and least expensive way you can reach an agreement together. If everything can be settled through mediation, you and your children will be able to avoid the trauma the legal aspects of divorce can bring.

 Click here to read full article

Effective and affordable, South Bay Mediation assists families throughout the Los Angeles area. Having been through the painful processes of litigation and divorce, I know how damaging legal battles can be. I also have experienced the power of mediation to create solutions that maintain everyone's dignity while working through painful conflicts and allowing all parties to get on with their lives. 

  

A workable agreement is always possible, even in the midst of anger and resentment. Contact us for a free consultaion. 

 

Call (866) 405-2219 or go to our website www.southbaymediation.org

 
Sincerely,

 
Eric Piety
South Bay Mediation

Special Services
military family 

Veteran Family Program

 

Divorce Services for

Los Angeles Area Vets

 

South Bay Mediation in Torrance, is offering 2 hours of divorce mediation services at no cost to military personnel, veterans and their spouses. Because mediation reduces the stress and expense of divorce for all involved, this service to military personnel is South Bay Mediation's way of giving back to those who have served.

  Military families, like all others, face the difficulties of maintaining a marriage in our modern world and in the midst of a suffering economy and high unemployment. In addition, military families must cope with the daunting stresses that deployment and long periods of separation have on a marriage. As proud as we are of our military families and the resilience they demonstrate, marital dissolution is a reality that cannot always be avoided.  South Bay Mediation wishes to share its expert skills in order to ease the burden for those who have decided divorce is their only option.   

To learn more about the Veteran Family Program, or any of the services offered at South Bay Mediation, contact:

 

Eric Piety

South Bay Mediation

866-405-2219 

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