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The steps to become a divorce mediator may depend
somewhat on the jurisdiction in which you want to practice. Nevertheless, there
at least some primary steps those interested in pursuing a path to become a
divorce mediator often take. These steps include earning a college degree in a
related field, as well as some additional training in divorce mediation. Once
those things have been completed, the final step is to find employment, which
could come from several different places. Mediators should also be aware that
requirements can vary greatly from one area to another. The first step in the
process to become a divorce mediator typically involves earning a college
degree, at least a Bachelor’s degree and perhaps even a postgraduate degree. The
degree is often in a specific field related to divorce work, such as social
work, psychology, or law. Earning the degree usually takes approximately four
years of college, although a law degree and other types of postgraduate degrees
can take longer. Once you have earned a college degree, the next step in order
to become a divorce mediator is to take additional training. Some degree fields
will include mediation, and may even touch on divorce mediation. Finding
additional training specifically in divorce work gives the mediator some
additional tools in what can often be a highly stressful situation for all
parties involved. These trainings could take 40 hours or less to complete, and
are offered by many private companies. In some jurisdictions mediators may need
to be certified or complete a certain number of additional training hours, but
these are highly variable. In the United States, for example, no state has
uniform mediation requirements, but individual court districts or counties may
have their own requirements. In order to become a divorce mediator in all
geographic areas in which you want to practice, it is necessary to meet those
specifics, no matter how long or often you may have been practicing in a
neighboring county or district. The final step in order to become a divorce
mediator involves finding an organization or agency that uses mediation
services. This could include agencies such as law firms or even some mental
health clinics. If these are not found in the area you want to practice, then
some mediators make a living doing the work on a contract or freelance basis. It
may take time to build up a client list and a reputation if you do decide to go
into business for yourself, and many mediators may do other forms of counseling
or other similar work while their divorce mediation service gets
established. |
