I admit to having concerns prior to the first meeting with the staff at Heartland Family Mediators. After that first meeting both of us left feeling their services would be exactly what we needed.
The Heartland method is centered on finding peace and not conflict. I am convinced that focus alone saved us both significant emotional anguish and certainly many thousands of dollars in attorney fees. At the same time the method gave each of us room to maneuver. It allowed us to accomplish all of our goals in the divorce settlement and to accomplish them on our own terms.
Jim Johnson and Amy Russo were very pleasant, professional and helpful in working to get us through this difficult process. They explained their philosophy regarding divorce up front, i.e. that the well-being of the children should be foremost in our concerns as we worked through this. My spouse and I were in agreement on that point, and Jim never let us lose track of that, especially when things got edgy. Jim also explained at the beginning that Heartland Family Mediators was not the place for us if we intended to fight or argue over issues during our meetings. The point was that, while disagreements are to be expected, they can be addressed in a cooperative and respectful manner. Whenever we had questions, Jim and Amy either had the answers or quickly found out the answers.
They did a marvelous job maintaining neutrality throughout the experience and they promoted a sense of reasonableness, fairness, and appropriate compromise. They always had the ability to see the bigger picture with regards to the economics of a situation. They also kept our focus on the greater good for all of the family members that can be affected by an upheaval such as divorce. Perhaps what impressed me most was the continuous and genuine level of concern for our well-being and that of our children going forward.
I hope to never need the services of Heartland Family Mediators again, but I strongly recommend them to any couple facing divorce wishing to choose peace and who want to approach this very difficult process with integrity, character, and love.
R.M.