Family Meetings

FACILITATON WORKS FOR FAMILIES FACING SERIOUS DECISION-MAKING AFFECTING FINANCES, LIVING, QUALITY OF LIFE

Most families with children face numerous conflicts, whether during the teen years, relating to role changes in the family, because of job changes, because of school changes, because of serious illness and the attendant financial and role changes related to that, or because of any of a number of life’s stresses. Many families are able to work through the daily or routine conflicts on their own. However, when those conflicts are more serious or longer lasting, regardless of whether the family can or cannot work through the situation on their own, many families have found that setting up a meeting with a neutral mediator facilitator who assists the family in quality dialogue can be extremely beneficial.

By bringing in a neutral mediator facilitator, everyone involved can benefit from the presence of a neutral third party, who has the capability of slowing down interaction to help the family interact with greater sensitivity. This enables a family to better understand a situation from all perspectives, so they can explore various possibilities and make informed decisions that work for their particular family and situation. Another frequent outcome is that the process often times strengthens the bond within a family.

These meetings often last a few hours, and can generally be concluded in one session or two. If need be, the family can set up additional meetings to reach their resolution goals. In addition to high satisfaction with the process for all participants, families also welcome the privacy and brevity of this approach.

Family Mediators and Facilitators of Louise Phipps Senft & Associates/Baltimore Mediation believe in families and believe in Better Process…Better Outcome.

Testimonial:

“Thank you so much, Louise. You did a terrific job–I think, without question, you genuinely elevated the level of deliberation and kept us on course. Not easily accomplished with a group vulnerable to meandering. Your able guidance allowed me to adopt a lower profile during that part of the meeting, which was important.” – Richard de Wyngaert, The Lumpkin Family Foundation President