mediation

why mediation?

Choosing mediation means keeping control over the organisation of your divorce or separation and over the reorganisation of your parenthood. As parents and ex-partners, you are best placed to find what works for you and your children. Only agreements that all parties truly support withstand the test of time or can easily be adjusted when circumstances change. These agreements are finalized in a legally drafted agreement.

The mediator guides this. Her role is not to judge but to help ex-partners communicate and find solutions during sessions while protecting the interests of both parties and the children.

how does it work?

You can make an appointment by phone or email. I like to start the mediation process with an individual meeting, to help decide wether you want to start mediation. Subsequent sessions always take place with both ex-partners present. Because mediation is custom-made, there is no fixed number or frequency of meetings, though most couples need between five and eight sessions.

Sessions last up to 2 hours and can be scheduled during the day or in the evening.

I conduct sessions in Dutch, English, and French, and can provide draft documents in these languages. The choice of language for court documents depends on your place of residence. I prepare documents in Dutch and we can make arrangements for a French translation.

legal aspects

The result of a mediation is a written and legally binding agreement.

For a divorce you must pass via the Courts. I provide the Courts with the written agreement of divorce by mutual consent (‘Echtscheiding Onderlinge Toestemming’ or EOT) that we reached in the mediation process. This will cover parental authority, residence, child maintenance costs, and the division of assets.

I can also help you with parenthood agreements for unmarried couples or agreements when circumstances have changed after divorce.

mediation initiated by the parties or initiated by court

In a mediation initiatied by the parties, both partners choose to contact a mediator. This remains an option even after court proceedings have started.

In a mediation initiated by court, the Family Court Judge requests that both parties contact a mediator to attempt an agreement regarding the children. Mediation initiated by court remains voluntary: the process always requires the active consent of both ex-partners.

Mediation is entirely voluntary, and either partner can stop the process at any time. A court procedure always remains an option.

Mediation sessions are strictly confidential; anything said or written cannot be used in later court proceedings.

prices

Joint mediation session: €120 per hour
Initial individual meeting: €60 per hour

From the second hour onwards, charges apply per started 15-minute block.

Document preparation: €120 per hour (applies to preparing, drafting and finalizing agreements and preparing and submitting the dossier to the court, communication with clients and third parties)

who am I

In the spring of 2011, I started my practice as a family mediator. I completed my mediation training at VCOK and the Mediation Instituut Vlaanderen (Mediv) and am accredited by the Federal Mediation Commission.

I work as a freelance mediator with the welfare organisation CAW in Vilvoorde and Tervuren. I am a lecturer at Odisee University of Applied Sciences (Brussels), where I teach the subject of Divorce and Parenting Counseling in the Family Sciences program.

In 2016, I became a KIES-coach, leading play and talk groups for children of divorce. My additional training in developmental psychology and high conflict divorce at the Interactie-academie in Antwerp provided valuable support for my coaching and mediation.

I earned my Master of Laws degree from KULeuven in 1991. Mediation has been my chosen path for conflict resolution for many years: prior to family mediation, I worked as a victim-offender mediator (Alba) and as a mental health ombudsperson (Vlabo vzw). I regularly attend trainings and seminars and strictly adhere to the ethical code of conduct of the Federal Mediation Commission.

I work with both the Brussels Family Court and the Leuven Family Court, and I assist people from the wider region of Wezembeek-Oppem, Kraainem, Kortenberg, Brussels, Overijse, Tervuren, Leuven…