For Sarah’s biography, please click here.
I am often asked what prompted me to become a divorce mediator.
About twelve years ago, my ex-husband and I began our divorce in court. Who would have thought that after 7 years of marriage, shared dreams and a child we would be adversaries? After a few years of senseless fighting and endless arguments, we came to the conclusion that we had to find a different way. Not only were we emotionally drained, but we were physically overwhelmed with paperwork and appointments. The process had taken on a life of its own: depositions, filings, conferences, court appearances, lawyers’ letters, emails, phone calls …. and we were nowhere near concluding. We had spent so much money and wasted so much time. All we had wanted was to protect our son and our assets and move forward with our lives. Instead we were spending our assets and involving our son in our conflict.
Emotionally and financially drained, I spoke with a friend who suggested divorce mediation. I had thought of it before, but did not think we were good candidates, because there was so much conflict. I realized we had to try – there had to be a better way.
We both agreed to mediate. It wasn’t easy, but the fact is: divorce just isn’t easy. We had difficult decisions to make, but we made them. Three months later we were finished. Finally! We had definitely chosen a better way.
At the time of my divorce, I had already been involved in the mediation field, mediating community and custody visitation cases at a community mediation center. Subsequent to my divorce, I decided to focus exclusively on family disputes, in particular divorce.
People experiencing divorce are in turmoil and need a forum to have a productive, focused discussion so they can come up with a way to separate they both think is fair.
Samuels Mediation 