This paper reflects on the nature of trust breakdown and, with a blend of theory and practical advice, gives suggestions on how trust can be rebuilt by a parenting mediator in an effort to help parties develop a parenting plan. This paper also examines the differences between interpersonal trust or interest based trust on one hand and procedural trust or calculus based trust on the other hand. The paper also discusses trust in the context of attribution theory.

This paper is part of a collection presented at LESA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program in Calgary on February 19, 2020 and in Edmonton on February 25, 2020.