Program Overview

Long, long ago (20+ years) and far, far away (Alberta, Canada) a young entrepreneur agreed to go to an ADR course with her sister. She registered and paid her fees. By the time the course happened, the sister had moved far, far away and the entrepreneur had to go to the course all by herself. She loved it! She could see how much mediation could really help people. She signed up for the rest of the training (even though she was a little bit scared of going back to school) and became a Chartered Mediator. Every year she upgraded her training and gained more and more experience in all sorts of dispute resolution areas like:

• Workplace Facilitated Conversations
• Workplace Mediation
• Workplace Investigation
• Workplace Assessments
• Family / Divorce Mediation
• Child Protection Mediation
• Civil Mediation
• Farm Debt Mediations
• Canadian Human Rights mediation
• High and Chronic Conflict Services
• …and lots of other things…

She worked for all kinds of people in the public, groups, organizations, agencies, businesses, lawyers and government departments. She really saw how much the people needed mediation skills to help build hope and peace.

Soon others began asking the entrepreneur how she did it. She loved helping others learn how to build hope and peace too. She went around the country sprinkling joy and hope wherever she went.

Now, the young entrepreneur is older and wiser and teaches others, sharing the skills that are so very needed in the world right now.

She can’t wait to meet you. Her name is Grace Baker, C.Med. Come join her class.

Click here to read an interview on our blog with Mary Joseph 

Mary Joseph is a retired lawyer, United Church Minister and Certified Spiritual Director. She is also an accredited mediator and provides family mediation services in the private and public sector as well as teaching mediation at the professional certification level.

Mary practiced immigration law from 1986 until 2004 with an emphasis on refugee law and skilled and domestic workers. She was also Vice Chair of the Canadian Bar Association – Ontario in Immigration as well as the founder and Editor of their Immigration newsletter. She was one of the original pioneers of same sex immigration for Canada. Since 2002 until her retirement in 2018, Mary practiced collaborative family law exclusively. She was also Ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1999 and has been a part-time pastor and mission strategist for the United Church of Canada until her retirement at the end of 2018.

She has been a guest lecturer at numerous educational institutions and societies including The Canadian Bar Association, Osgoode Hall Law School, University of Toronto as well as the Learned Society and Mensa International. Prior to being called to the bar, Mary tried out a variety of professions including Police Officer, Immigration Border Examining Officer, Industrial Firefighter, Private Investigator as well as several other service sector professions before committing to a lifelong practice of law. She is also a former board member of the Elizabeth Fry Society.

Mary holds a college diploma from Niagara College, Bachelor of Arts from Brock University, a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School and Masters of Divinity from Victoria University at University of Toronto.

Her published work includes: 2005: Seeking the Sacred; Leading a Spiritual Life in a Secular World ECW Press; Toronto 2006 (prolegomenon) (founder and ED of Seekers Dialogue), 1990 – 1993 Immigration and Citizenship Update, Canadian Bar Association – Ontario Immigration Newsletter Founder / Editor, 1985 Illegal Immigrants: Know Your Rights, Pamphlet for the Illegal Immigrant Support Group Toronto, Ontario, 1983 Immigration Handbook, Department of Justice Joint Author  (Unpublished)

Click to read our blog interview with Hayley

Hayley is an accredited mediator with the Ontario Association of Family Mediators. As a Counselor, she has a Masters degree from U/T in the Counselling Psychology program. She specializes in post-modernist theories, such as Brief therapy, Narrative strategies and Control mastery theories as well as Cognitive theory and CBT. Her undergraduate work trained her as a Child and Youth Worker, specializing in child development and behaviour in various milieus. She has co-created over 50 parenting plans with a range of needs, issues and stages of child development as well as adult changes in executive and cognitive functioning.

Working in the children’s mental health field as an advocate and youth worker as well as with the children’s aid society as a parent support worker Hayley wished to take her skills in family relations, child development, and parenting strategies in a different direction. She chose to work with separating families. Hayley’s vision was a “one stop shop” for families to work with a team of integrated and specialized professionals. Hayley trained and worked as a Neutral with Collaborative Practise Toronto.  With Marion Korn, Lawyer, Mediator and Collaborative trainer, and Eva Sachs (Financial Specialist) they set up Mutual Solutions; a hybrid practice catering to divorcing couple.

Hayley has been teaching post secondary diploma and degree courses for 25 years. She has found the mix of learning and practising very potent for professional and personal growth as well as supporting clients.  A time to reflect on how we do our work.  And she hopes to learn from you!

Since returning to the mediation field, she has immersed herself in working with high conflict families and believes supporting families in crisis is essential and dynamic work.