At any stage of dissolution proceedings, families may elect—or the court may refer parties—to mediation. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution in which the parties can reach an agreement on contested issues in a less adversarial settling. With the help of a neutral mediator, the parties have more freedom to communicate and come to an agreement. *Parties need not be represented by counsel in order to utilize the services of Family Meetiation so either individuals or their counsel can schedule a mediation