Our custody mediation clients were divorced over 10 years ago and have been in and out of the DuPage County Divorce Court. Some would call it a high conflict divorce. They have a child they both adore, they, however have a lot of anger toward one another.

One parent earns more money than the other or has more access to resources due to a new marriage. The thought of ongoing expensive litigation scared the one parent into being paralyzed and not being able to make parental decisions without concern that it will provoke litigation. They decided enough was enough, the arguments and lack of communication had finally effected their child and he was unable to participate in a loved activity. 

The parents came to our office for custody and parenting mediation in an attempt to stay out of the court system, share in the costs, and avoid paying their litigation attorneys yet another high retainer. After several sessions peeling back the layers of their past relationship, the father confided that through mediation, it was the first time he felt he had been heard. 

While the parents continue to be caught up in financial arguments, they were able to understand each other's pain points and develop communication styles to prevent future flair ups. Their child now has a plan to actively participate in the sport he loves with the support of both of his parents.