Divorce Resource Center

Call Directions Website

Divorce Resource Center Going through divorce or separation? Mediation can help you settle quicker and costs less than litig

Alliston Resolutions offers professional mediation services for divorce and separation, family issues and civil disputes. Divorce coaching is available for parties navigating litigation processes. Individual counselling assists clients in developing awareness, moving into true potential and resolving issues. All services are provided in a neutral, non-judgmental environment. Parties and individuals can transform their lives and relationships through creative problem solving and facilitated communication.

One of the most important parts of my role as a mediator is neutrality.I'm not there to decide who was right in the rela...
10/14/2026

One of the most important parts of my role as a mediator is neutrality.

I'm not there to decide who was right in the relationship, advocate for one person's preferred outcome, or tell either of you what you should agree to.

My job is different.

I help identify the issues that need to be resolved, keep conversations productive, make sure both people have an opportunity to be heard, and help you explore possible solutions.

Sometimes that means slowing a conversation down. Sometimes it means asking a question neither person has considered. Sometimes it means recognizing that you've reached an issue where additional information or independent professional advice is needed before moving forward.

You don't need someone else joining the argument.

You need a process that helps you have a different kind of conversation.

If you're wondering what it would be like to work with a neutral mediator, book a free 30-minute consultation with me. We can talk about your situation, the mediation process, and whether it feels like the right fit.

705-770-7479

A pension can be one of the most valuable assets in a separation, but understanding what it's worth isn't always as simp...
10/11/2026

A pension can be one of the most valuable assets in a separation, but understanding what it's worth isn't always as simple as looking at your latest statement.

In Ontario, pensions earned during a marriage may need to be considered as part of property division. How the pension is valued, what portion relates to the marriage, and how it ultimately factors into a settlement can depend on the type of pension and your circumstances.

For couples with an OMERS pension, there is also a specific process for obtaining a Family Law Value. That information can become an important piece of the financial picture before decisions are made about how property will be divided.

So before assuming "I'll keep my pension, you keep something else," make sure you understand the value you're actually negotiating with.

📖 Have an OMERS pension? Michelle breaks down the process in Splitting an OMERS Pension After Separation: What You Need to Know on her blog.

Fall is a season of change, and separation can bring more change than most people know what to do with at once.You may s...
10/08/2026

Fall is a season of change, and separation can bring more change than most people know what to do with at once.

You may still be figuring out where you'll live. Your finances may look different than they did six months ago. Parenting routines may still be taking shape. You might not even agree on what needs to happen next.

None of that means you need to wait until everything settles before considering mediation.

Mediation is designed for the conversations that still need to happen. It gives you a structured place to identify the decisions ahead, exchange information, explore possible solutions and work through areas where you don't yet agree.

You don't need to arrive with a finished plan.

Sometimes the plan is what you come together to create.

🍂 If you're considering separation or already navigating one, book a free 30-minute consultation with Michelle to learn whether mediation may be a good fit for your situation. 705 - 770 - 7479

By the week before Thanksgiving, the schedule may already be decided. Now the focus can shift to helping the holiday fee...
10/05/2026

By the week before Thanksgiving, the schedule may already be decided. Now the focus can shift to helping the holiday feel like a holiday for your children.

Try to keep children out of conversations about who received more time, whose family gathering is more important, or whether you're disappointed with the schedule. They shouldn't feel responsible for making the holiday feel fair between two households.

Instead, help them know what to expect. Talk positively about the time they'll spend with their other parent, make exchanges as straightforward as possible, and give them permission to enjoy traditions in both homes.

Thanksgiving may look different after separation, but different doesn't have to mean divided.

Your children can have a great Thanksgiving with you and a great Thanksgiving with their other parent. They don't need to choose which one mattered more.

A separation agreement may say who is responsible for a particular debt, but that does not necessarily change the agreem...
10/01/2026

A separation agreement may say who is responsible for a particular debt, but that does not necessarily change the agreement you originally made with the lender.

If a debt is jointly held and your former spouse declares bankruptcy, the lender may still look to you for repayment, even if your separation agreement says your former spouse was responsible for paying it.

This is an important distinction. Dividing responsibility for debt between two people is not the same as removing someone's legal responsibility to a bank or other creditor.

That's why joint debts, lines of credit, credit cards and other financial obligations deserve careful attention when working through a separation.

Understanding what is jointly held, whose name is attached to each debt, and what needs to happen after an agreement is reached can help prevent some very unpleasant financial surprises later.

📖 Read more about bankruptcy, debt and separation on our blog.

Thanksgiving weekend can bring an extra layer of planning for separated parents. Your regular parenting schedule may wor...
09/28/2026

Thanksgiving weekend can bring an extra layer of planning for separated parents. Your regular parenting schedule may work perfectly from week to week, but holidays, long weekends and family gatherings often need their own arrangements.

A detailed parenting plan can address how holidays will be shared, whether certain holidays alternate each year, when exchanges will happen, and how holiday schedules interact with regular parenting time. Michelle's own parenting-plan guidance specifically includes holiday and vacation schedules as one of the areas parents should consider.

The best time to work through those details isn't Thanksgiving morning. Reviewing your plans ahead of time gives everyone a clearer idea of what to expect and leaves more room to focus on the holiday itself.

📖 Planning ahead for the holidays? Explore our parenting resources and blog for guidance on creating parenting arrangements that work for your family.

Sometimes the goal isn't agreement on everything.It's finding a better way to handle the things you won't always agree o...
09/23/2026

Sometimes the goal isn't agreement on everything.

It's finding a better way to handle the things you won't always agree on.

For separated parents, there will continue to be decisions long after a separation agreement is signed. School, activities, schedules, holidays and unexpected changes don't disappear just because the legal process is finished.

Part of mediation can be looking at how those future decisions will be handled. What needs to be discussed together? How will information be shared? What happens when you disagree? What boundaries would make communication more manageable?

A good parenting plan doesn't eliminate every future disagreement. It can give parents a clearer framework for navigating them when they happen.

If communication has become one of the hardest parts of your separation, mediation can help create more structure around the conversations that still need to happen.

Yes - and that can affect support.Severance is treated as income for support purposes, including when it's paid as a lum...
09/20/2026

Yes - and that can affect support.

Severance is treated as income for support purposes, including when it's paid as a lump sum. That means it can affect child support and may also be relevant when discussing spousal support.

Losing your job while navigating a separation can create a financial situation you probably weren't expecting, and there are details that matter when severance enters the picture.

Was the severance paid as a lump sum or periodically? What period of employment income does it replace? Are there conditions attached to the payments? What happens if you find another job while you're still receiving severance?

For example, if you begin earning employment income while severance is still being paid, both sources of income may need to be considered during that period.

This is why the full severance agreement matters, not simply the dollar amount on the cheque.

If job loss and separation are happening at the same time, understanding how that income will be treated can help you make more informed decisions about support.

📖 Read Severance Pay and Divorce: What You Need to Know on our blog for the full breakdown.

A separation agreement needs to capture the decisions you've made today, but a strong agreement also considers how those...
09/17/2026

A separation agreement needs to capture the decisions you've made today, but a strong agreement also considers how those decisions will work when life changes.

What happens if someone's income changes? How will financial information be exchanged? What happens when a child starts driving, needs counselling, begins post-secondary school or wants to participate in an expensive activity?

You can't predict every change your family will experience. The goal isn't to try.

A well-designed agreement creates clear processes for handling the situations that are likely to come up, so you're not starting from scratch every time something changes.

That's one of the risks of relying solely on a template: you can only include the clauses you know you need.

Thoughtful mediation can help uncover the questions you may not have realized were worth asking and turn today's decisions into an agreement designed to work in real life.

📖 This topic comes from our blog: Why a DIY Separation Agreement in Ontario Can Cause Future Conflict.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before mediation, but a little preparation can help you make better use of...
09/14/2026

You don’t need to have everything figured out before mediation, but a little preparation can help you make better use of your time together.

Before your session, consider:

• Gathering your financial information. Depending on the issues being discussed, this could include information about income, bank accounts, investments, pensions, debts, property and other assets.

• Writing down your questions. It’s easy to forget something once the conversation gets going. Keep a running list of anything you want clarified or discussed.

• Thinking about your priorities. What decisions need to be made? What matters most to you? Where might you have some flexibility?

• Reviewing existing documents or arrangements. Bring along anything relevant to the discussion, such as an existing parenting schedule, previous agreement or financial information.

• Making note of what you’re unsure about. You don’t need to research your way to every answer beforehand. Knowing where you need more information is useful preparation too.

The goal isn’t to arrive ready to sign an agreement. It’s to arrive ready to have a productive conversation.

Preparing for your first mediation? Book a free 30-minute consultation with Michelle to learn more about the process and what you can expect.

Address

26 Victoria Street West
Alliston, ON
L9R1T3

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+17057707479

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Divorce Resource Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category