1. I am a Montana native,having graduatedhighschool fromarural Montana townwhere myancestors
homesteaded. Iwasraisedaroundfarmingandranching,withan appreciationforthe workethicof the
Montanan. I movedtoSeattle where I attainedmy Bachelor’sDegree inLegal Administrationwhile
workingfull time asa legal assistantinSeattle,Washington. Mynightsandweekendswere dedicated
to attendingcollegeclasses. Ihad decideduponmycareerat a veryyoungage andmy experience in
Seattle onlyhelpedme todiscoverwhatIlovedmostabouta legal career. Once I realizedIcouldfulfill
my dream,I attainedmylicense asaprivate investigatorandopened myprivate investigation
business, continuingalsoto workfreelance forlaw firmsinthe Seattle area.
In the midstof that transition,Imetmy husband,Teal. We marriedin1994 and continue toraise a
family of three children. We returnedtoMontana afterexperiencing"life"set-backsandwhile an
opportunitypresenteditself toreturntohelpotherfamilymembers. We are alsoa militaryfamilywith
Teal enlistedinthe NationalGuard. We have three children;twogirlsandone boy. As a family,we
have alsoexperiencedhavingaspouse/fatherdeployedforayear.
My experiencewithlaw,especiallyrelative tofamilylaw,broughtthe additionalrealizationof the
distinctadvantagesof facilitativemediationinthe throwsof dissolutionandcreatingparentingplans
that workfor eachparticularfamily. Inthe past 7 yearsworkingwithChildSupportEnforcement
Division(CSED),thatneedhasbecome soevident(almostdesperate)thatIwas compelledto
beginobtainingmycertificationas amediatorforthe purpose of bringingfacilitative mediationasa
viable alternative tothe familiesinthisareaof Montana. To thatend,I continue workingthroughthe
ProjectSettle programatCommunityMediationCenterinBozemantoobtainmycertificationasa
Mediator.
While "Iwantmy day incourt" is a greatdesire forall inthe heatof conflict,itisa rare situationthat
actuallyallowsone tobe able to getin frontof a judge personallytohave his/her“say.” Thisleavesthe
vast majorityultimatelyverydisappointedandfrustratedatthe systemandthe outcome. Facilitative
mediation allowsaforumforpartiesto discussrespectfullyALLthe issuesof the conflictsothat
everyone isheardandcan move forwardwithresolutions.
Althoughspousesmaydivorce andparentsmaylive apart,familiesdonotdissolve;rather,theymust
become somethingstrongerbutonlythroughcooperationandthe understandingof the largerpicture ...
that childrencannotbecome the collateral damage. The beautyof facilitative mediationisthatthe
largerpicture iskeptas the priorityinthe midstof the requiredgrowthandchangesof the children
beingparentedfromtwohomes.