So I’m ordered to mediation. I have no idea what this means, but my attorney tells me it will be fine and to relax. It’s tough to relax when your attorney is on the clock at $300/hr and the mediator is on the clock at $250/hr (mediator fees are always split 50/50 between the parties so my cost for mediation was $125/hr). Our mediation was scheduled for 90 minutes and 4 hours later we were done. What an expensive day. My costs for that day totaled $1700.00. So what did $1700 get me? Well, when I walked into mediation I was paying a lot in child support and had ZERO, yes zero overnight scheduled visitation with my 2 kids. When we walked out I had 10 overnight scheduled visitations a month with my kids and was paying less child support. The other thing I got was a new career. I was sitting in mediation, being an active participant, watching the mediator and soaking it all in. It hit me.....I CAN DO THIS!
Fast forward yet another few years to the year 2005. I was 31 years old still with an ex-wife that simply wouldn’t go away and 2 kids that I now had custody of. I decided to start pursuing my dream of becoming a family mediator and enrolled in Kaplan University’s online college degree program. I was working full time, taking care of 2 children and going to school online. I still was in and out of court with my ex and was simply seeking compliance from her in regards with our mediation agreement. Many contempt orders were filed and one time it even backfired. I filed contempt on my ex, went to court and when I walked out, I was found in contempt. What a humbling day that was. I graduated from Kaplan University with an Associates degree in paralegal studies and then a Bachelors degree in pre-law and a minor in mediation/arbitration. I raced through college and finished in a mere 2 1/2 years with a GPA of 3.86.
Long story short, after completing my Associates degree, I was certified by the Supreme Court of Florida and began mediating small claims and civil cases and then eventually was certified by the Supreme Court of Florida and began mediating family cases and here I am. I have gone through hell in my own life, but found exactly what I was put on this earth to do. I am here to bring peace to what might be described as the most darkest day in a person’s life.
iChat Mediation invites you to come and learn more about having either your divorce conducted by one of our State Supreme Court Certified mediators or how you can become part of the most cutting edge virtual companies in the world. To learn more visit us online at http://www.ichatmediation.com or call us at 877-822-1479.
In the words of Lawton Chiles, “I didn’t come to stay, I came to make a difference.”
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