Part 1:
I became a certified family mediator after enjoying several careers, one of them being a long term as an educator; a privileged position I found rewarding and enlivening. The idea of having fun while helping young people develop communication skills, confidence and self esteem made for a great career; one that required all of my faculties to be successful. One of my guiding principles was to think of a teacher metaphorically as a midwife to the painful process of adolescence, delivering suffering youth into early adulthood and lessening their pain by helping them to believe they will survive. (Thankyou Dr. Mac Freeman) Over time I trained my voice to act as a healing hand. Later I learned that I had also developed other abilities that are essential to mediation: listening, holding space, empathy, the curiosity to ask questions and creative writing. All of these acquired skills I bring to each mediation helping people through separation, divorce and family conflicts.