Family Mediation & Facilitation
We provide private informal and non-binding mediation for families who are stuck in conflict over family or estate matters.
These are structured and focused on reaching a resolution. These are not therapy, a free airing of grievances, and are never open-ended.
What is Family Mediation?
Family mediation is used when family members need help resolving a dispute together, often after positions have already formed and communication has broken down.
Unlike family facilitation, mediation does not assume that one party is responsible for making the final decision. Instead, all participants work through the issue collectively, with the goal of reaching a mutually acceptable resolution.
Family Mediation is:
A neutral, facilitated discussion involving all relevant family members;
Designed to address disputes or disagreements, rather than guide a single decision-maker;
Focused on finding mutual agreement through structured dialogue;
Private, confidential, and professionally guided;
Time-bound and outcome-oriented, but consensus-based.
Family mediation works best when:
All parties have standing in the decision;
Participants are willing to engage directly with one another; and
The goal is agreement, not authority or hierarchy.
This process is intended to reduce conflict and help families reach resolution together without turning disagreements into battles.
What is Family Facilitation?
Family facilitation is used when parents know a decision must be made but need structured support to reach it clearly, responsibly, and with their children’s well-being in mind.
This is not a debate.
This is not a vote.
And it is not therapy disguised as mediation.
When parents delay or avoid necessary decisions, the default outcome is often more expensive, more emotionally damaging, and harder for children to process.
Family Facilitation is a Two-Step Process
Step One: Decision
Decision makers meet with a professional facilitator, in collaboration with a licensed family therapist, to clarify the decision that must be made.
This step is:
Decision-focused and parent-only;
Structured and time-bound; and
Designed to reach an agreement before anyone else are involved.
The responsibility for the decision stays where it belongs: with the authority holders.
Step Two: Family Communication Session
Once the decision is set, a licensed family therapist meets with everyone together to communicate the decision in an age-appropriate, emotionally safe way.
This step is:
Hosted and moderated by the therapist;
Focused on understanding, not persuasion; and
Designed to support children without placing responsibility on them.
The goal is simple:
Decision makers make the choices they need to meet an objective.
Parties are included in a way that supports understanding and not a burden.
This process replaces conflict with support, allowing families to move forward without leaving anyone to carry the burdens of indecision.
How the Process Works
Virtual Intake Interview
Used to identify individuals, background, context, decision points, objectives and schedule mediation.
Attend Online Meeting
Everyone needed attends a structured private and secure online meeting where everyone has the right to be heard and speak their mind.
Execute the Plan
After the meeting, you receive a summary documenting:
The requested decision or narrowed options;
Key risks and tradeoffs discussed; and
Next steps/professional referrals.
Common Issues
Adult siblings disagreeing about care for aging parents.
Estate or inheritance disputes before or during probate.
Conflict over money, timing, or responsibility.
Career or location change.
Co-parenting issues.
Private family conflict.
Pre-divorce or separation questions.
Does NOT include drafting documents
No court representation or litigation
Will NEVER solve an ongoing family crisis
Cannot replace therapy or counseling
What This Is Not
Cost
Per hour, ten-minute minimum. Call for rates.
Availability is intentionally limited.
Extended engagements also available.
About Your Mediator
Eric Ruth is a Michigan-licensed attorney with over a decade of experience in family law, civil litigation, probate & estate matters, and business and team advisory roles. His work focuses on helping helping people confront what they’re avoiding so they can make decisions they can live with.
Request a Family Mediation Session
If your family is ready to move forward, request a session.