With limited court availability, obligations under family law legislation and rules requiring ADR processes, and evolving court protocols, the need to be well-versed in family mediation has never been greater. Deepen your knowledge and take your mediation skills to the next level in this two-day advanced course.
Participants will learn how to:
- Recognize how early brain and biological development, toxic stress, and family or intimate partner violence affect mediation dynamics and apply appropriate screening to assess suitability for mediation.
- Identify ethical challenges, personal biases, and boundary issues in mediation and apply strategies to maintain neutrality and professionalism.
- Assess and manage high-conflict behaviours—including those related to mental illness or neurodiversity—while maintaining safety and determining whether mediation is appropriate.
- Apply a best-interests framework in family mediation, including appropriate ways to integrate the voice of the child.
- Weave effective, culturally aware, and competency-inclusive communication strategies to adapt mediation approaches to diverse participants and situations.
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Pre-Requisite: Prior completion of LESA’s Mediation of Family and Divorce Conflicts is a pre-requisite for registration in this course. Equivalents will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis (send inquiries to [email protected]).
Digital course materials will be distributed prior to the commencement of the course. Advance preparation is expected.
This course offers both in-person and online registrations. In-person participation includes opportunities to discuss topics with course instructors during morning, afternoon, and lunch breaks. For those attending online, participation is required and your device will need to be equipped with a camera, microphone, and speakers.
Schedule at a Glance
DAY 1 — AM: A Mental‑Health Indicator (Depression) in Mediation
- Pick up on subtle cues
- Use timing and neuroscience-informed verbal and non-verbal communication
- Gather sensitive mental health and parenting-capacity functioning
- Utilize ethical and unbiased lenses and mental health stigma-absent questions and transitions
- Make face-to-face meetings with parties structured, safe, and professional
DAY 1 — PM: Coercive & Controlling Behaviours
- Spot coercion early, name it neutrally, build interim protections to keep mediation sessions and processes safe and child-centred
- Use the Minnesota Wheel and FVIR language to identify incident patterns
- Translate screening findings
- Use tone, tenor, and effect questions
- Dampen high-conflict behaviours
DAY 2 — AM: Special‑Needs Parenting Plans
- Turn complex child-focused emotional, medical, educational, and other care needs into clear parenting plans
- Reduce high-conflict behaviours
- Build child stability with mapping, building, and transition supporting tools
DAY 2 — PM: Cultural & Religious Components and Wrap-Up Roundtable
- Navigate culture and faith with confidence
- Elicit values respectfully
- Craft parenting plans that honour identity, family, and community
- Reduce cultural or inter-cultural conflict
- Use timed values-elicitation prompts to draw out negotiables
- Apply neutral disagreement pathways for faith-based disagreements
- Put it all together and identify next steps for advanced mediation practice
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A detailed agenda will be published when available.
Are you attending in-person in Edmonton and looking for a nearby hotel for the night? LESA has secured a rate of $199 per night* for a standard room at the Delta Hotels Edmonton Centre Suites, 10222–102 Street. This hotel is located one block from LESA’s Program Space and can be conveniently accessed through the pedway system.
To reserve your room, visit the online booking page or you can contact the hotel directly at 1-800-661-1122 or 780-431-4640. Please indicate “LESA” when making your reservation.
*Room rate is based on availability and subject to applicable taxes and fees. Attendees requiring accommodations are responsible for making their own hotel and travel arrangments.
Program formats and dates are subject to change. Prices are subject to GST. Early bird pricing ends on April 21, 2026.
Registration is open until 4pm one business days prior to the program date.
Program materials (where applicable) will be provided in an electronic format.
Program registration does not include hotel accommodations. See accommodations tab for details.
Participants who do not attend the full course will not receive a certificate of completion
This program is not being recorded and will not be made available as an on-demand program.
Nearby Hotels
Looking for nearby hotel accommodations in Edmonton? Click here for more info.
Group Discounts
This program provides firms or organizations the opportunity to purchase individual tickets for a group at a discounted rate. See accordion tab below for more details on how to send multiple people to this program with a group discount.
This program does not offer a firm broadcast option.
Policies
For payment, cancellation, transfer, group discount, and firm broadcast policies, click here.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for this program. For full details and to purchase a sponsorship, click here.