FAMILY MEDIATION TRAINING COURSES
Taking our full suite of courses allows you to become an Accredited or Certified Family Mediator. All courses have been accredited or accepted by the Ontario Association for Family Mediation, FDRIO (Family Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario), Family Mediation Canada and the Academy of Professional Family Mediators. They qualify in provinces other than Ontario. Some of the courses also have additional accreditation for other regulating bodies such as the Law Society of Ontario (see Domestic Violence course for further information). If you are not in a province requiring certification or accreditation these courses provide the essential skills to develop a mediation practice.
We offer three methods of coursework completion:
- Take courses the traditional way, one by one, as offered during the typical work day;
- Take our Working Professionals course, which integrates the courses and offers them in evenings, a few Saturdays and no more than two typical work days;
- Take a hybrid approach, taking some courses during the week and some during the evening.
Program Highlights
All courses are synchronous, meaning you are always with an Instructor. Class sizes are kept small so each participant has full opportunity for participation, questions and content adaptation to their unique skills. Participants are “mentored” in our program, learning about themselves, their own approach to conflict, personality and conflict style. This backdrop to learning this profession is critical to the development of excellent family mediators. A variety of learning modalities are used including lecture, demonstrations and role-plays that are done in 3 to 1 ratios with our highly skilled accredited mediator coaching teams.
Fundamentals of Family Mediation: Participants will learn about the nature of conflict and conflict management, the context of the legal system, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes, negotiation as developed as an interest-based negotiation model by the Harvard Program on Negotiation and the more comprehensive Insight approach to conflict, and the mediation process. Through practice exercises, the participants will learn how to conduct intake interviews, open a mediation, to facilitate the discussion, and how to prepare a Progress Report or Mediation Report. They will also learn the various skills mediators use. In role-plays, they will practice these skills. They will learn how to overcome impasse and the use of caucus for this purpose. The course concludes with information about the principal family mediation organizations, the services they offer, the benefits of membership including the opportunity to acquire a professional designation, and the codes of ethics and standards of practice they developed and maintain.
Family Law: Participants will learn about our legal system, how mediation intersects with it, the laws that apply to family breakdown, and generally about the family justice system in Ontario. It is important that mediators learn about parenting law, child support, spousal support and property division for both married and common-law partners. Participants learn how to continue their learning in law as it is essential that mediators continue their learning on law throughout their career. They are taught how to find the law and what websites are accurate. They also learn how to use the available software programs to help develop support options and property sharing. Family Law lawyers are exempt from this course.
Domestic Violence and Power Imbalances: A critical course for mediators, participants will learn the dynamics and characteristics of domestic, or family, violence and learn how to conduct interviews in the most conducive manner to assess and discover whether abuse it taking place. They will learn the risk factors for violence as developed by the Ontario Death Review Committee, how to support potential victims and perpetrators, how to design appropriate process for mediation and when a case would not be appropriate for mediation. The course is designed to equip mediators with the specialized knowledge and skills needed to address cases involving family violence. This comprehensive program emphasizes safety planning and trauma-informed practices. Role plays are an essential component of this course as well.
Family Relations: This course provides an in-depth understanding of the complexities of family dynamics, relationships, and the psychological factors that impact conflict resolution. Topics include family systems theory, focusing on the interconnected roles and dynamics within families, and communication patterns, highlighting strategies to identify and address miscommunication, or conflict escalation. Participants will also delve into parenting challenges, including managing disputes over parenting, as well as the emotional and psychological effects of separation and divorce on both adults and children. The course examines cultural and diversity considerations in family relationships, the role of power dynamics and imbalances, and strategies to foster emotional regulation and productive dialogue. Additional focus is placed on understanding the developmental needs of children, addressing high-conflict behaviors, and guiding families toward solutions that prioritize well-being and sustainability. This comprehensive course equips mediators with the practical tools and knowledge to manage family disputes with sensitivity and professionalism.
Advanced Mediation: This advanced course is an experiential deep dive into the practical application of skills developed throughout the program. Through a dynamic blend of lecture, interactive exercises, and immersive role-play in 3:1 ratios with our highly skilled coaching teams, participants will refine their expertise and take a deeper dive into the insight approach, one not taught by other institutions. Advanced topics include conflict analysis, addressing unconscious and implicit bias, cultural fluency, and effectively navigating high-conflict behaviors. Participants will also explore techniques for managing complex multiparty situations, drafting agreements, and designing processes that address power imbalances. The course provides a comprehensive review of the mediation process, with a focus on enhancing the mediator’s practice through reflective learning and experiential insights, ensuring participants are prepared to tackle the most challenging family mediation scenarios with confidence and professionalism.
If you are planning on being accredited in Ontario, please confirm that you have met the pre-requisite for education and work experience. There is more information about this here.
The following courses have also been certified by the Saskatchewan Law Society for approved CPD hours as follows:
Fundamentals of Family Mediation: 25 CPD hours, 1 of which are ethics.
Screening for Power Imbalance and Domestic Violence: 19 CPD hours, 11.5 of which are ethics
Advanced Family Mediation: 19 CPD hours, 2 of which are ethics
Please let us know, confidentially, if you have any accessibility needs. These needs may include accommodations for hearing or vision loss, specific hours of availability as a result of medication/medical visits, etc. If you think we should know so that we can be more helpful and accommodating, please tell us and we will do our best to assist.
Courses can be purchased individually or in a course package. We also offer convenient monthly payment plans. We are also pleased to introduce our new course concept for Working Professionals. This will put the entire suite of courses on a once weekly evening, with three full Saturdays, allowing you to complete your training entirely after working hours and at a pace that will let you complete the courses in approximately the same amount of time as others. Click here for more information.
Click on the links below to learn even more about each course and don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like more information about this growing profession or to meet our lead trainer. We also offer a free information session on the last Monday of each month. More information on that is set out below.
COURSE 1: Fundamentals of Family Mediation
COURSE 2: Family Law for Family Mediators
COURSE 3: Screening for Power Imbalances and Domestic Violence
COURSE 4: Advanced Family Mediation
COURSE 5: Family Relations
COURSE 6: Simulated Role Play
COURSE 7: Working Professionals Evening Course
LEARN HOW TO BE A FAMILY MEDIATOR
This is a free live webinar where you can meet Lead Trainer Jennifer Suzor, learn about the course and ask questions. The webinar will take place on the fourth Monday of every month at 5:00 p.m. EST Please register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
MEET OUR LEAD INSTRUCTOR
- Accredited Family Mediator, Elder Mediator and Child Protection Mediator, Ontario Association for Family Mediation
- Over 37 years of experience
- Member of the Ontario Child Protection Mediation Roster
- Practiced Family Law for over 33 years
- President of Bridging Family Conflict, Mediation, and Information Services for the Ministry of the Attorney General in Essex County
- Member of Saskatchewan Early Dispute Resolution Panel
- Frequent Lecturer in Family Mediation trainings across Canada
CONTACT FOR INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION:
Call: 519.252.2772
Email: jocelyn@suzormediation.com
Insightful Mediation Training acknowledges the contribution in the initial development of courses by Honourable Justice Lene Madsen of the Ontario Court of Appeal.
