Refer Cases to Noah Mediation Services

People often ask for an explanation as to the ways in which mediation and therapy or counseling differ. 

Many therapists learn mediation skills and employ those in their therapy practice, or they bring their therapy knowledge and experience into a mediation practice.  While Noah Mediation Services sees how this approach could benefit some practices, therapy is not part of our services.

NMS provides a range of mediation services only; in fact, Laura L. Noah has been trained specifically in mediation and conflict resolution - not as a therapist, nor as an attorney.  While Laura is not a lawyer, she has extensive experience and knowledge of the court system and laws governing common disputes, including divorce and child custody.  She also has experience screening for potential impediments to mediation, such as domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues.  Dispute Resolution education and experience creates the foundation for Noah Mediation Services.  When appropriate, NMS will refer clients to outside therapists or counselors.

Therapists/Counselors are welcome to refer cases to Noah Mediation Services.  The Fast Facts listed below may be useful when referring cases to NMS.

Click here for information regarding domestic violence and mediation.

Fast Facts

• Noah Mediation Services Charges $200/hour (or $400 for a typical 2-hour family mediation session) regardless of how many people are present in the mediation office at any time.  Click here for information on pro bono or sliding scale fee services.
  
• Typically participants in mediation split the mediator's fees.  If the court would like a different fee arrangement then that should be written into a court-order and presented to the mediator in advance of the first appointment.
• Noah Mediation Services accepts only cash or check with payment due at the end of each session. Credit Card payments can be arranged to be made in advance of the mediation session only.
  
• For any type of case, each party involved must contact the mediator directly and separately to begin the mediation process.
  
• For all family cases, parties MUST first meet with the mediator alone for 1 hour prior to the first joint mediation session.
• By agreement of all parties, the mediator may provide parties with a written statement that includes dates and times of participation in mediation.  There will be no information regarding missed appointments and no evaluative report regarding parties' actual participation in mediation.
  
• By agreement of all parties, the mediator will provide parties with a written statement of any agreements that were reached in mediation.
• NMS clients' participation in mediation is on a voluntary basis with no minimum amount of mediation time required other than the 1 hour private meeting with the mediator to start the process.  If a judge wishes to mandate a minimum amount of time in mediation, this must be written into a court-order and presented to the mediator in advance of the first session. 
  
• The mediator reserves the right to terminate the mediation at any time for any reason based on his or her judgment regarding the appropriateness of mediation.  Given rules of confidentiality in mediation, the mediator shall not be required to provide a reason for termination.

Download Fast Facts from a pdf file for easy printing.

If you would like to refer an individual client, a couple, or a family to mediation, please contact Noah Mediation Services at 708.434.0614 or info@noahmediation.com.  In your phone call or e-mail, include your name and contact information as well as the names of the parties to attend mediation.  Please also include the nature of the case (employment, divorce, custody, family, etc).  In order to maintain mediator neutrality, please do not include any other information regarding specifics of the case. 

Each party will then need to contact Noah Mediation Services separately and directly to begin the mediation process.

Noah Mediation Services will never contact any party in a dispute without first being contacted by that party directly either via email or by telephone.  See other disputant FAQ's for an explanation of this policy.