Family Mediation in Vancouver

Mediation is a way to resolve family law disputes with the help of a neutral professional instead of a judge. For most separating couples in British Columbia, it is faster, less expensive, and far less adversarial than court. At Sena Law, our founders Kelsey Beazer and Samantha Simpson are both trained mediators who help families reach agreements they can live with.

Nearly every issue that arises from a separation can be resolved in mediation: parenting time and parenting responsibilities, child support and spousal support, and the division of family property and debt. Mediation also works well for standalone questions, such as updating a parenting plan when circumstances change or resolving a disagreement under an existing agreement.

Mediation is voluntary and confidential. Nothing said in the room can be used against you later in court, which gives both people space to speak openly and explore options.

Court is public, slow, and expensive, and the outcome is decided by a judge who meets your family for a few hours at most. Mediation keeps the decisions with the two people who know the situation best. Most mediations conclude in a handful of sessions rather than the months or years a contested court proceeding can take, and the cost is typically a fraction of litigation.

Mediation is not right for every situation. Where there is family violence or a serious power imbalance, court or another process may be the safer path. We will tell you honestly which route fits your circumstances, and if court is necessary our litigation team can act for you there.

We start with a short intake meeting with each person separately, to understand the issues and confirm mediation is appropriate. Sessions are then scheduled at a pace that suits you, in person in Vancouver or by video. The mediator guides the conversation, keeps it productive, and makes sure both voices are heard.

When you reach an agreement, we prepare a written summary that independent lawyers for each person can turn into a binding separation agreement or consent order. That final step protects both of you and makes the outcome durable.

Mediation is billed at the mediator's hourly rate, usually shared between the parties, and we give you a clear estimate before you commit to anything. Simple matters often resolve in one or two sessions; more involved ones may take three or four spread over several weeks. Compared with a court proceeding, most families save both months of time and a significant amount of money.