Family Mediation
Families often reach out at moments of uncertainty — when important conversations feel hard to begin, or when everyone is trying, in their own way, to do the right thing.
Mediation offers a thoughtful, structured space to slow the conversation, listen more carefully, and work toward clarity together.
A Different Kind of Support
Family mediation is rooted in the Jewish belief that every person carries inherent dignity (tzelem Elohim) and that tending to our relationships is a sacred responsibility. Drawing on Jewish wisdom about justice, compassion, and care, mediation helps families navigate moments of tension with respect for every voice — without assigning blame or taking sides.
Mediation is not a binding legal process. Participation is voluntary, and families retain full authority over outcomes. As the mediator, I remain neutral and nonjudgmental while providing structure and guidance to support honest dialogue and thoughtful decision-making. Sessions are confidential.
When Mediation Helps
Family mediation can support:
• Families navigating decisions with an aging parent or loved one
• Adult siblings with different perspectives or communication styles
• Parents and adult children working through longstanding tension
• Families experiencing conflict around changing roles, responsibilities, or resources
• Households preparing for significant transitions or future planning
• Families seeking a calmer, more constructive way to approach difficult conversations
Mediation can be especially helpful when emotions run high, communication breaks down, or patterns feel stuck.
How Does the Process Work?
Step 1: Getting started
We begin with a brief conversation to understand your concerns and determine whether mediation feels like the right fit. Often, I also speak individually with each family member before we meet together.
Step 2: Preparation
Family members share background, concerns, and hopes for the process. This allows me to design a structure that supports clarity and reduces tension.
Step 3: Mediation sessions
We meet together (in person or on Zoom) in a calm, neutral setting. I guide the conversation, ensure each person is heard, and help clarify the issues at hand.
Step 4: Understandings and next steps
The family determines what commitments, decisions, or next steps feel appropriate. If helpful, I can provide a written summary of what was discussed and agreed upon.
Most families begin with a time-limited process focused on a specific concern, and may choose additional sessions if needed.
Mediation Offerings
To support families with different needs and levels of readiness, mediation is offered in several structured formats.
Fees reflect the time, preparation, and care involved in this work, and are designed to offer clarity and containment rather than open-ended commitment.
Family Decision Mediation
A focused, short-term mediation for one shared concern
Sometimes families don’t need therapy — they need help making a decision without causing further harm. This time-limited mediation is designed for families who are stuck around a specific issue and want a structured, respectful way to talk it through.
This may be a good fit if your family is:
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Navigating decisions about an aging parent or loved one
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Struggling with communication around a particular concern
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Trying to move forward without escalating conflict
What this includes:
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One individual intake conversation with the primary contact
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Two joint mediation sessions OR one joint session and one or two additional individual sessions
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A written summary of decisions, understandings, and next steps
Scope:
This process focuses on one defined concern rather than revisiting a family’s entire history.
Flat fee for the full process
$1,800
Stuck Family Reset
For families where conflict keeps escalating
Some families sense that something important is at risk — a relationship, a sense of trust, or the ability to move forward at all. This mediation offers space to slow things down, interrupt unhelpful patterns, and clarify what is possible next.
This may be appropriate when:
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Conversations repeatedly break down
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Emotions run high and trust feels fragile
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Family members are on the brink of disengaging
What this includes:
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One individual intake session
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Two additional individual conversations
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Two joint mediation sessions
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One follow-up session several weeks later
Purpose:
This process is not about fixing relationships.
It is about helping families speak honestly, set boundaries, and make decisions with greater clarity and dignity.
Flat fee for the full process
$3,000
Family Mediation Consultation
A first step — without commitment
Not every family is ready to begin mediation. This consultation offers a structured conversation to help determine whether mediation would be helpful at all.
This may be useful if:
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One or more family members are unsure about mediation
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You want guidance before committing to a longer process
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A professional has suggested mediation as a possibility
What this includes:
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One 90-minute facilitated conversation
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Clarification of the issues at hand
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Thoughtful guidance about next steps — with or without mediation
Fee:
$400 (Applied toward a mediation package if you continue)
Request a Conversation
If you are wondering whether mediation may be helpful for your family, I invite you to reach out for an initial conversation.We can talk briefly about what’s bringing your family to this moment, and whether mediation feels like a supportive next step.
Newton, MA
617-620-2172
