Program Overview

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

B.A., M.Div., D. Jur., C. Med., AccFm., AccIM

Barrister and Solicitor (retired)

She is a certified family mediator and a certified intergenerational mediator with the Ontario Association of Family Mediators and a Chartered Mediator with the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada and Ontario.

Mary practised 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. From 2002 until her retirement in 2018, Mary practised collaborative family law exclusively. She was also ordained by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1999 and was 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, and the 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 and 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the Illegal Immigrant Support Group Toronto, Ontario, 1983 Immigration Handbook, Department of Justice Joint Author  (Unpublished)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 for Family Mediation. She has a master’s degree from the University of Toronto 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 couples.

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.  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.

With a degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Education from York University and Arbitration and Mediation Certifications with a focus on Family Law from Kompass, Cheryl has over 17 years of experience working with children and families. She is a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers, the Ontario Association of Family Mediation, the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and a Qualified Arbitrator and an Associate Family Mediator with a Q. Arb Standing with both the governing bodies of ADRIC and ADRIO.

Cheryl is a driven Mediator/Arbitrator professional with a strong background in providing conflict resolution.  She is resourceful in gathering relevant information regarding disputes, providing appropriate documentation and guiding both individuals and groups to reach satisfactory agreements and settle complicated issues. Cheryl is devoted to adhering to ethical guidelines and laws throughout all casework.  She is an empathetic and self-directed therapist with excellent active listening and verbal communication skills, and she facilitates family, couples and individual counseling sessions to help clients pinpoint underlying emotions triggering instability and conflict. Cheryl is excellent in maintaining records and makes excellent written and oral reports concerning client care, counseling and therapeutic activities. Cheryl is a dedicated therapy professional and exceptionally well-versed in performing comprehensive assessments to identify client strengths, needs and overall functioning at micro and macro levels. She is experienced in developing and managing client treatment plans and is committed to establishing goals and objectives to help clients build healthy and positive personal relationships.

Parenting Coordinator | Facilitator | Mediator | Arbitrator

Click to read our blog interview with Kat

Kat has been working with people in conflict for 17 years.  She has a diverse practice providing parenting coordination, mediation, arbitration, med-arb, circles, restorative justice, assessment, coaching and facilitation; always with an emphasis on relationship building and working across differences.  Her main area of focus is working with families and groups with complex circumstances such as high conflict, trauma or mental health challenges, addiction, involvement with the legal system or intercultural issues.  She also provides the full range of her services by distance.  She designs and provides training on mediation and conflict resolution skills, trauma informed practice, sexualized violence prevention, and family violence screening.

She is a Chartered Arbitrator and Mediator certified by ADR Canada, a Comprehensive Family Mediator certified by Family Mediation Canada, is on the rosters of Mediate BC, the BC Hear the Child, and the BC Parenting Coordinator Roster Society.  She has a Bachelor of Social Work and is just finishing a Master of Social Work with a Clinical Specialization.  Kat received her Certificate in Conflict Analysis and Management and her Certificate in Family Mediation from The Institute of Conflict Analysis and Management with an emphasis on Conflict in Organizations and Group Facilitation Skills.  She received her Certificate in Arbitration from the ADRBC (formerly BCAMI). She is former President Elect of the Board of Directors of Family Mediation Canada, the Vice-President of the BC Parenting Coordinator Roster Society, is on the Board of  University of Victoria Alumni Association is a former member of the Board of Directors of ADRBC.

Rola Mustafa LLM, MBA, Q.Med is a highly accomplished professional with a deep passion for conflict resolution and workplace fairness. With a robust background in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, she has made significant contributions to diverse communities in Syria and Canada.

Her journey began in London, UK, where she pursued her academic interests by studying alternative dispute resolution as part of her LLM in International Law at City University of London. Years later, she solidified her expertise by obtaining her accreditation in mediation from the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. Rola has obtained certifications as a mediator from several Canadian institutes, including Family Mediation Canada, and accreditation from the ADR Institute of Canada. She highly values community involvement and dedicates her free time to volunteering with several organizations and boards.

In response to the intercultural challenges observed while working with diverse communities in Canada, Rola pursued further studies in intercultural communication at the University of British Columbia. Her aim is to actively contribute to the advancement of justice, equity, and inclusion within Canadian society.

As a global trainer in her field, Rola has conducted training sessions in both Arabic and English, sharing her invaluable insights in conflict resolution in various settings in Syria and Canada. With over 12 years of experience in Human Resources and Project Management, combined with her Global MBA, she brings exceptional proficiency to every aspect of her work. Currently, she serves as a Workplace Fairness Analyst at Workplace Fairness International, specializing in fostering inclusive and equitable workplaces.

Dora’s career as an experienced mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, coach, and teaching experience in adult education and training in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) spans over 20 years.

She founded her firm, Leap Divorce Solutions, to focus on mediation, arbitration, and financial analysis specializing in divorce and separation.  Her goal is to help clients reduce the anxiety and stress often experienced during these processes. She believes ADR allows the parties to develop insight into their dispute resolution styles and recognize their contributions to unproductive interactions.

She holds a BA (Justice Studies) from Mount Royal University. She became certified in conflict leadership with assessments through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Canada (ADRIC). She acquired the skills and experience required to obtain her Chartered Mediator (C. Med.), Chartered Arbitrator (C. Arb.), and Chartered Mediator-Arbitrator (C. Med.-Arb.) designations. She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), Registered Family Mediator of Alberta (RFM), and a member of Family Mediation Canada.

She is actively involved in the ADR community, serving as a director on the board of the ADR Institute of Alberta (ADRIA), and an affiliate representative on the board of the ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC). She has taught ADR at Mount Royal University for four years and supervised hundreds of students across Canada.  Additionally, she was the past Committee Chair for Skills Development at the Community Mediation Calgary Society.

Learn more: Meet Dora Dang: ADR Instructor and Family Law Specialist

An Accredited Family Mediator, Anisa holds a Master of Social Work degree and brings over 20 years of experience in the fields of conflict resolution, mediation, negotiation, and training. She has particular expertise in dispute and conflict resolution, intimate partner violence, family justice, custody assessment, mental health, and parent-child relations. Anisa works full time for Legal Aid Ontario; she has also worked with Blue Hills (now York Hills) as a family mediator and information referral coordinator for the Superior Court of Justice Newmarket.

Anisa currently serves as a board member with the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts – Ontario (AFCC-O) and served as past chair and longtime board member with Peel Family Mediation Services. She is also an active member of the Legal Aid Ontario Local Racialized Strategy Committee and Indigenous History Working Group. Anisa was actively involved with Peel Family Mediation’s Annual Domestic Violence Symposium (2011-2017). She has also been a guest lecturer at York University in the Faculty of Social Work at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, as well as a course developer and trainer in family mediation, domestic violence, and power imbalance at Humber College. Anisa conducts training for articling law students and new staff lawyers on court-based family mediation, intimate partner violence, and access to justice.

During Anisa’s spare time, she volunteers by delivering groceries and providing mental health support at a family food bank that serves refugees and new immigrants across the Greater Toronto Area.

Anisa is an active member of:

• Ontario Association for Family Mediation (OAFM)
• Family Mediation Canada (FMC)
• Ontario College of Social Workers
• Ontario Association of Social Worker and Social Service Workers
• Association of Family & Conciliation Courts
• Association of Family & Conciliation Courts – Ontario
• Mediate.com
• Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM)

Jessie has been practising as a family mediator for five years, supporting families in navigating separation with compassion and clarity. Jessie also serves as a role-play coach for novice family mediators, helping new practitioners build confidence and skill in real-world scenarios. Passionate about alternative dispute resolution, Jessie is dedicated to providing constructive, collaborative alternatives to court that prioritize family well-being. Outside of mediation, Jessie enjoys spending time with family on forest walks and around campfires.

Read our interview with Jessie