Part of the Community Mediation Center's mission is to help families help themselves resolve, reduce, and prevent conflicts. Our dedication to families in the Hampton Roads area has helped to develop programs to reach as many residents as possible.

Family Conflict

Conflict among family members is a normal part of life.  When conflict arises mediation is available to resolve the dispute and help preserve your family ties.  The Community Mediation Center offers free, no obligation consultations to help you determine if mediation will work in your family’s circumstances. Find out what past mediatees have said about mediation

Referral to Mediation
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Benefits of Mediation

• Save Time and Money. Many disputes are rarely settled in a single court visit. Attorney fees, time off from work, and other costs of going to court can be expensive. Mediation is an inexpensive alternative to court and can be set for times that fit the parties' schedules.
• Get to the Root of the Real Issues. In most cases the subject of the dispute is a cover for underlying, but unmentioned concerns. Using mediation, the parties can identify and address the relevant issues at the same time, thus diminishing the number of future conflicts.
• Control of the Outcome. Often, judges must make decisions quickly with a limited amount of information. Consequently, significant non-legal factors may not be considered in the judgment. In mediation, the parties collaborate in reaching an agreement that's satisfies everybody's needs and concerns.

Collaborative Law

A process separate from - yet similar to - mediation, the Collaborative Law process tries to avoid the adversarial approach to litigation by creating an an open and balanced environment where parties can work together. Unlike mediation, attorneys are involved at all steps, including the collaborative sessions; however, they are present only to give legal advice. The Collaborative process is an excellent tool when it comes to divorce, and the Center is currently working with the Virginia Institute of Collaborative Practitioners to make use of this process. Click the link above to learn more.

Co-Parenting: Two Families, Two Homes

Conflict between adults can have devastating, life-long impact on a child even when the parents try to shelter the child from the tense environment. Whether your child is living with parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles, it is imperative to ease the child’s anxiety during the difficult time. Learn how you can help your child cope with the changes in a positive way.

Separation and Divorce Toolbox

Separations and divorce can be a stressful, emotional time for all parties involved. Mediation can help you and your loved ones sort through the issues and resolve any differences. If you or someone you know is going through a divorce the following links have information to aid you through the process.

General Divorce Information

• Stages of Divorce- Although divorce is a personal experience, a natural progression of stages of divorce has been identified and found common in most cases. Understand the adjustments one makes as they go through a divorce
• Separation and Divorce Checklist- Preparing for a divorce? Use our checklist to identify assets, liabilities and responsibilities before the mediation to get a clear picture of topics you and your spouse will need to discuss.
• Mediation and your Attorney- Mediation is not a replacement for an attorney; Mediation is a process that you can use to control the outcome of your divorce or custody petition and come to an agreement that benefits everyone involved. Get tips on how using mediation when you have an attorney can save you money, time and effort.

Divorces where children are involved

• Custody Definitions- Understanding custody and support issues in Virginia can be difficult. Learn about the custody definitions and options available to your situation.
• Child Support- In Virginia, support is calculated based on state guidelines. Use the state provided worksheet to estimate your child support obligations.
• Surviving Divorce - Get tips for how you can help your children maneuver through the separation and divorce process.
• Children, Divorce, and Mediation- Mediation is not only beneficial to easing the potential tensions during a divorce, but it can also offset the effects of the divorce and custody disputes on your children. Read this study on how mediation can positively affect the relationship between your child and their non-custodial parent.

Family Group Confering and Mediation options are available to bring all parties including families, neighborhoods, and community agencies together to brainstorm, creative ways to handle family problems that affect the community. Discover what mediation has to offer your family and what you can do to resolve a challenging situation. For specific information regarding our Child Dependency Mediation program with the deparement of social services please click here.

Military Families

Military families face unique challanges. Because of sudden deployments that can often be to distant places, family dynamics are often disrupted. Military parents end up with routines that directly affect parenting time and put pressure on their spouse in their absence. The Community Mediation Center is working with military personnel to give them access to mediation as a way to counteract these problems. Click on the link above to learn more.

Mediation for Older Adults

Seniors and their families, caregivers, and service providers sometimes needs assistance to deal with issues. Mediation is a cooperative problem solving process. A neutral mediator helps parties clearly define the issues and reach agreements that satisfy all the parties. Mediation is voluntary and confidential. The most important benefit of mediation is the potential to improve the quality of relationships for seniors and their circle of support.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Conflict Coaching- With Conflict Coaching a neutral “coach” and an individual collaborate to assess conflicts and develop a plan for dealing with conflict in the future.  Learn how you can become a Conflict Coach and be a part of our Healthy Families Initiative.
• General and Family Mediators- The CMC is always looking for volunteers to who are willing to become court certified mediators for Juvenile and Domestic Relations and for General District matters.  JDR & GDC mediators facilitate discussion between families, friends, neighbors, coworkers, consumers and businesses to help them reach an agreement on issues such as a final separation agreement, custody, visitation, support, contract dispute, debt, unmet expectations and other concerns which people in conflict need to address.  Click on the above link for certification requirements.

Resolving Conflicts | Building Relationships | Empowering People