Meet the Mediator

As a Divorce Mediator and General Member of the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators (NJAPM), I guide couples in building a divorce agreement, and then manage their negotiations as an impartial third party.

Together, our goal is to create a divorce agreement that’s endorsed by both sides.

Upon completion of the agreed upon terms, I’ll summarize the details in a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U.) and forward it to your respective attorneys for review, signing and filing.

Substantial “Crossroads” Experience

I’ve dedicated my career to counseling hundreds of clients at a crossroads of their lives. Prior to entering the field of divorce mediation, my experience spanned 25 years serving as lead career counselor and senior advisor to downsized executives and employees from Wall Street firms and Fortune 500 companies, including: New York Life, The New York Stock Exchange, MetLife, Time, Inc., Deutsche Bank, Li & Fung, Unilever, and JP Morgan Chase, among others.

Through my work, I have developed an expertise in guiding clients through the process of rebounding from a significant life change, and then strategically planning new goals that impact financial, professional, social and personal well-being.

The key is to focus on your future.

As with any major life change, you need to carefully plan. That’s what divorce mediation is all about.

Ultimately, the cumulative effect can be giving yourself permission to let go of past issues by focusing on a vision of your future.

The Well-Planned Divorce

Let’s face it: Ending a marriage is no easy task. Divorce can be confusing and a daunting journey into the unknown.

But when you are clear about the steps you need to take — when you fully embrace the idea that life comes in chapters — then you can start feeling more in control of the process and, hopefully, more confident about what your future holds.

I will serve as your guide as you make that life-defining — and courageous — transition from marriage to divorce to your next life chapter.

The effect may encourage you to visualize your future — for the fear of the future is about unknowns.

Let’s make the unknowns “known.”

During divorce mediation, the two of you call the shots in determining the next chapter of your lives, while I will guide you in generating options and negotiating an agreement.

That’s how the unknowns become known — and your fear can start to fade.

Get started on that brave journey by reviewing the six possible terms of your divorce agreement.

In clear, simple language with helpful documents you can download for free, these six terms include your: Parenting Plan, Monthly Budgets, Division of Assets, Alimony, Child Support, and Pet Arrangements.

Both of you will need to be ready with information and a multitude of documents to complete your divorce mediation sessions. But don’t worry: you do not need to bring everything at once. We’ll take one topic or “term” of your divorce agreement at a time.

Virtual Sessions

To fit into your busy schedules, the three of us can work together online with virtual meetings and by phone. All sessions are in the strictest confidence.

To assure your privacy and enable both of you to openly communicate — freely and honestly — the sessions cannot be recorded. This assurance, along with associated terms, is included in the Agreement to Mediate document.

When we communicate effectively, we’ll be more productive during your divorce mediation sessions.

That translates to saving you time and the resources necessary for financing the divorce mediation process, which is considerably less than the litigation route.

Life comes in chapters. You just need to plan where you’re going. I can help you with that.

—Barbara L. Leiding, NJAPM, Divorce Mediator