Family & Separation
From separation to settlement: a realistic mediation timeline
A realistic look at the stages between deciding to separate and reaching a settled arrangement through mediation, from first enquiry to agreement.
Professional & Workplace
When two directors disagree: mediating boardroom conflict
When two directors disagree on direction or control, mediation offers a confidential way to resolve it before it affects the company.
Later in Life
Keeping the family together through an inheritance dispute
An inheritance dispute does not have to cost a family its relationships, and mediation gives everyone a genuine chance to resolve it while staying connected.
About Mediation
What happens after mediation, turning an agreement into action
An agreement reached in mediation needs to be written down clearly, formalised where appropriate, and reviewed over time so it actually holds up in practice.
Family & Separation
Mediation confidentiality: what is and isn't protected
What you say in family mediation is generally confidential and can't be used as evidence later, but a few important exceptions do exist.
Family & Separation
What to bring to your family mediation session
A short, practical checklist of what to have ready for your family mediation session, from identification to existing parenting documents.
Later in Life
Five questions to ask before choosing an elder mediator
Choosing an elder mediator matters as much as choosing to try mediation at all, and five clear questions help a family find the right fit.
Professional & Workplace
Confidential workplace mediation: what employers need to know
What employers need to understand about confidentiality in workplace mediation before arranging a session for their staff.
Family & Separation
Blended families and mediation: resolving new household tensions
When a new partner or step-siblings enter the picture, mediation can help both households agree on boundaries before small frictions take hold.
Family & Separation
School holiday custody disputes: mediating a fair arrangement
Mediation can turn a recurring school holiday argument into a clear, written schedule both parents can rely on year after year.
Later in Life
Contested estates, what to expect from estate mediation
A contested estate can feel overwhelming, and knowing what to expect from estate mediation makes the process far less daunting for everyone involved.
Family & Separation
Relocating after separation: mediating a moving dispute
When one parent wants to relocate with the children, mediation can work through the practical issues before it becomes a court matter.
Professional & Workplace
Commercial mediation for small business owners: a practical guide
A practical guide to commercial mediation for small business owners who need a dispute resolved without a legal team behind them.
Family & Separation
Section 60I exemptions: when you don't need a certificate
Family violence, child abuse risk and genuine urgency are among the situations that can mean applying to court without a section 60I certificate.
Later in Life
Moving a parent into aged care, mediating the family disagreement
Moving a parent into aged care often divides a family, and mediation helps everyone, including the parent, work through the decision with care and clarity.
Family & Separation
The difference between a family mediator and a family lawyer
A family mediator helps two people talk productively, while a family lawyer advises and acts for one person's interests specifically.
Family & Separation
Family mediation for high-conflict separations: does it still work
Mediation can still work in high-conflict separations, usually with adjustments such as separate rooms or extra screening, not a single joint conversation.
Professional & Workplace
Workplace conflict before it becomes a Fair Work claim
Addressing workplace conflict early through mediation gives everyone more options than waiting for it to become a Fair Work matter.
Later in Life
Power of attorney disputes, how mediation helps families agree
Power of attorney disputes strain family trust quickly, and mediation gives everyone a structured way to agree on a respectful, workable approach.
About Mediation
Mediation myths, what people get wrong about the process
Mediation is often misunderstood as weak, informal or a legal loophole, when it is actually a structured, neutral process that most disputes are well suited to.
Family & Separation
Mediation timelines: how long does family dispute resolution take
Family dispute resolution usually takes weeks rather than months, though the timeline depends on availability and how complex the issues are.
Family & Separation
Child-focused mediation: keeping kids out of the middle
Child-focused mediation keeps parenting decisions centred on what children actually need, without putting kids in the middle of adult conflict.
Later in Life
Blended families and inheritance, mediating a fair outcome
Blended families often face extra layers of inheritance conflict, and mediation helps stepchildren, second spouses and siblings work towards an outcome everyone can accept.
Professional & Workplace
Mediating a dispute between business partners without losing the business
A dispute between business partners does not have to cost the business itself, provided operations stay separate from the conflict.
Family & Separation
Consent orders after mediation: making the agreement legally binding
A mediated agreement becomes legally enforceable through consent orders, a separate step that gives what you agreed the force of a court order.
Family & Separation
Grandparents and mediation: navigating access disputes
Grandparents who have lost contact after a family separation can use mediation to work toward a workable arrangement with the parents involved.
Later in Life
What happens when one sibling is the primary carer and others disagree
When one sibling carries most of a parent's care and others disagree with their decisions, mediation helps the family recognise the load and agree on a fairer plan.
Family & Separation
Preparing for your first family mediation appointment
Your first family mediation appointment is a confidential intake conversation, not a joint session, so you know what to expect beforehand.
Professional & Workplace
Career development counselling: supporting staff through workplace change
Career development counselling gives staff genuine support through redundancy, promotion or uncertainty, not just a policy checkbox.
Family & Separation
What a family mediator cannot do (and why that's the point)
A family mediator cannot give legal advice, decide your outcome, or take sides, and that boundary is what makes mediation work.
Later in Life
Talking to ageing parents about their wishes, a family mediation approach
Talking to an ageing parent about their wishes goes better with structure, and a family mediation approach helps everyone raise the hard questions with care.
Family & Separation
Financial separation mediation: splitting assets without a court battle
Mediation lets separating couples work out who keeps what directly, with a neutral facilitator, instead of leaving it to a court to decide.
Family & Separation
When one parent refuses to attend mediation, what happens next
If your former partner won't engage with mediation, the process does not stop there. Here is what actually happens next.
Professional & Workplace
Five signs your business dispute needs a mediator, not a lawyer
Five practical signs that a business dispute needs a neutral mediator rather than a lawyer, and when the reverse is true.
Later in Life
Elder mediation vs family court, what's different
Elder mediation and family court solve different problems, mediation resolves the family conflict privately and quickly, while court decides formal legal rights.
About Mediation
How to choose the right mediator for your situation
The right mediator matches your specific situation, holds recognised accreditation, and explains the process clearly before you commit to anything.
Family & Separation
Five Signs You're Ready to Try Mediation Instead of Court
Willingness to talk, a focus on practical arrangements, and a wish to keep things private are all signs mediation may suit your situation better than court.
Professional & Workplace
How much does workplace mediation cost in Australia
Workplace mediation costs vary by session and provider, and are almost always lower than the cost of letting conflict escalate.
Later in Life
Guardianship and aged care, how mediation supports difficult decisions
Guardianship decisions in aged care are some of the hardest a family faces, and mediation can help relatives agree on a respectful way forward alongside proper legal advice.
About Mediation
Online mediation in Australia, how it works and when to use it
Online mediation runs the same structured process as an in-person session over video call, and suits distance, scheduling and personal comfort equally well.
Family & Separation
Choosing a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner: What to Ask
Ask about accreditation, process, availability and fees before booking a family dispute resolution practitioner, since these shape how smoothly mediation goes.
Later in Life
Estate planning conflict, mediating before someone goes to court
Estate planning conflict is easier to resolve before a formal legal dispute begins, and mediation gives families a private way to work through it early.
Family & Separation
Family Mediation Online: How Video Sessions Actually Work
Online family mediation follows the same intake and session structure as in-person mediation, delivered securely by video from wherever you are.
Professional & Workplace
Employee assistance programs: what they cover and why they matter
Employee Assistance Programs give staff confidential support for personal and work issues, and matter more than most employers realise.
Family & Separation
De Facto Separation: Your Mediation Options Explained
De facto couples have the same mediation options as married couples, with their own time limits for property and parenting matters.
Later in Life
When Mum or Dad needs care and the family can't agree
When a parent's care needs grow and the family cannot agree on what to do, mediation offers a calmer, structured way to reach a decision everyone can accept.
Family & Separation
Divorce and Property: How Mediation Settles Finances Faster
Mediation settles the financial side of divorce faster than court by keeping negotiation direct, private and focused on a workable outcome.
Professional & Workplace
What happens in a workplace mediation session
A clear walkthrough of what actually happens in a workplace mediation session, from first contact to a practical agreement.
Family & Separation
Supervised Contact Visits: What to Expect and Why They Matter
Supervised contact visits give a child time with a parent in a safe, structured setting while trust or safety concerns are worked through.
Later in Life
Inheritance disputes between siblings, a calmer way through
Inheritance disputes between siblings can be worked through with a neutral mediator, keeping the family relationship intact while the practical questions get resolved.
About Mediation
One practice, three life stages, why Alternative Mediations is different
Alternative Mediations brings family, workplace and elder mediation together under one neutral practice, so people are not left searching for a different specialist at every life stage.
Family & Separation
What Is Parental Coordination and Who Needs It
Parental coordination is ongoing, structured support that helps high-conflict separated parents put an existing agreement or order into practice.
Professional & Workplace
Contract disputes: why mediation beats litigation for most businesses
For most contract disputes, mediation resolves the issue faster, more privately and at a fraction of the cost of litigation.
Family & Separation
Co-Parenting After Separation: Building a Plan That Works
A workable co-parenting plan comes from clear routines, agreed communication methods, and room to adjust as children grow.
Later in Life
Aged care decisions, mediating when the family disagrees
When a family cannot agree on an aged care decision, mediation gives everyone, including the parent, a structured way to reach a workable plan together.
Family & Separation
Parenting Plans vs Consent Orders: What's the Difference
A parenting plan is a flexible written agreement between parents, while consent orders are court-approved and legally enforceable.
Later in Life
Family meetings about ageing parents, getting everyone in the room
A well-structured family meeting is often the missing step in caring for an ageing parent, and a neutral facilitator can help every voice actually be heard.
Professional & Workplace
Shareholder disputes: how mediation protects the business and the relationship
Mediation helps shareholders resolve conflict over control, value or direction while protecting the business from the fallout.
Family & Separation
Property Settlement Mediation: A Step-by-Step Guide
Property settlement mediation moves through disclosure, valuation, negotiation and, usually, a formal agreement, in a private and structured process.
Later in Life
Contesting a will, can mediation resolve it before litigation
Mediation can often resolve the family conflict behind a contested will before it turns into costly litigation, though legal advice still guides the legal questions.
About Mediation
Mediation vs court, cost, time and outcome compared
Mediation is typically faster and considerably cheaper than court, and gives both people a say in the outcome rather than leaving it to a judge.
Family & Separation
What Happens in Your First Family Mediation Session
Your first family mediation session usually starts with a private intake conversation, followed by a joint or shuttled discussion focused on your children.
Professional & Workplace
Business partnership disputes: mediating before you dissolve the partnership
Mediation gives business partners a structured way to resolve conflict before dissolving the partnership becomes the only option left.
Family & Separation
Do You Have to Go to Court for a Parenting Dispute
Most parents are required to attempt family dispute resolution before applying to court, and many resolve their parenting dispute at that stage.
Later in Life
Estate dispute mediation, resolving inheritance conflict without court
Estate dispute mediation gives families a private, structured way to resolve inheritance conflict that keeps relationships intact and avoids the cost of litigation.
Family & Separation
Family Mediation vs Family Court: What Actually Changes
Mediation and court differ most in who controls the outcome, how private the process is, and how long it takes to reach a resolution.
Professional & Workplace
Workplace mediation: resolving conflict before it costs you a team member
Workplace mediation resolves staff conflict early, before it costs a business the team member it can least afford to lose.
Family & Separation
How to Get a Section 60I Certificate Without a Long Wait
Choosing a private, accredited FDR practitioner and preparing properly before your session are the two biggest factors in avoiding a long wait for a certificate.
Later in Life
Siblings disagreeing on a parent's care, how mediation helps
When siblings cannot agree on a parent's care, mediation gives each person a fair hearing and turns the disagreement into a workable, shared plan.
Family & Separation
Section 60I Certificates Explained: What They Are and When You Need One
A section 60I certificate is the document that confirms a genuine attempt at family dispute resolution, and it is usually needed before applying to court.
Family & Separation
What Is Family Dispute Resolution and How Does It Work
Family dispute resolution is mediation for separating parents that usually needs to happen before either parent can apply to court for parenting orders.
Professional & Workplace
What is commercial mediation and when should a business use it
Commercial mediation resolves business disputes faster and more privately than court, and suits any conflict worth preserving a relationship over.
Later in Life
What is elder mediation and who is it for
Elder mediation is a confidential, guided conversation that helps families agree on an ageing parent's care, living arrangements or estate without going to court.
About Mediation
What is mediation and how does it actually work
Mediation is a structured, confidential conversation guided by a neutral third party, here is what the process actually looks like from first call to agreement.
