Family Dispute Resolution
Family law matters don’t need to be complicated and take years to resolve. FDR offers a more supportive path through separation. It’s designed to help separating families reach practical agreements about parenting, property, and finances, all with less stress, less conflict, and more clarity.
Empowering families to find a better way forward. Why families choose FDR:
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1. Conversations over confrontations
Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) creates a safe and respectful space, where open dialogue replaces legal battles. With a qualified practitioner guiding your path forward, you’re supported through the most sensitive times.
2. Affordable and accessible
FDR offers an affordable alternative to costly court proceedings, allowing you to focus your energy on what matters most.
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3. Faster resolutions
Court processes can be long and draining. FDR offers the chance to resolve matters without tension or uncertainty — so you can move on with clarity and confidence.
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4. You shape the outcome
FDR empowers you to create practical solutions. Rather than having decisions made for you in court, you collaborate on an agreement that reflects your family’s needs.
Thoughtful support for you and your family – Why choose Halo Journey?
1. A holistic approach to your journey
We’re not a one-and-done service. From prep to post-agreement support, we’re with you before, during and after your mediation.
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2. Child-focused conversations
Where children are involved, we keep their well-being at the heart of every decision. We guide healthy, future-focused parenting conversations.
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3. Leading with heart and expertise
You’ll be supported by a small team of big hearts and deep experience. With extensive backgrounds previously in law, children's psychology, psychotherapy, and property mediation, our FDR practitioners understand the emotional weight of family matters.
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Our FDR-certified professionals are not just qualified — they’re kind, calm, and deeply committed to helping you move forward. Give us a call today to help you decide if Nathan, Renee, or Evie would be a good fit for your situation.
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4. Flexible and family-friendly hours
We know life doesn’t pause for disputes. That’s why we offer flexible appointment times outside standard business hours — so you don’t need to miss work, school runs or other important parts of your life.
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7. Private. Personal. Peaceful
Every FDR journey is confidential and personalised. We offer a calm, non-judgemental space where both parties are heard — and real progress is made.
What we can help you with
Property and financial settlement
Helping you untangle the practical side of separation — from dividing assets and debts, to working out superannuation, investments, and more.
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Custody arrangements
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Parenting agreements – Creating workable parenting plans that consider children’s routines, needs, and well-being. This includes who lives where, to school holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.
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Child-focused costs – Conversations about school fees, extracurricular activities, medical costs, and day-to-day living expenses
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Living decisions – Supporting discussions around where children will live, and whether relocation (interstate or regional) is a factor.
Clear documentation – We help document the outcomes of your discussions clearly and professionally — ready to take to a lawyer or submit to the Family Court if needed.
Our simple, supportive, and step-by-step FDR process
1 / Initial enquiry
Get in touch with us via our website, phone, or email. We’ll answer your questions and give you a feel for how FDR works, so you can decide if it’s the right path for you.
2 / Individual intake sessions
​Each person meets privately with one of our accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners to talk through their story, ask questions and check suitability.
3 / Preparing for Mediation
​We’ll help you feel ready — emotionally and practically. You’ll get a clear outline of what to expect, along with tools and tips to support you through the process. Sessions can be held in person or online, depending on what suits you best.
4 / Joint FDR session
​This is where the conversation happens. With your Practitioner guiding the way, both parties come together (in the same online space or separately depending on what is most appropriate) to work through the issues — calmly, respectfully, and with a focus on solutions.
5 / Documenting the Agreement
If agreements are reached, we help you document them clearly. This might be a Parenting Plan, a summary of financial agreements, or notes to take to your legal advisor for formalisation.
6 / Aftercare and support
We don’t just wave goodbye after the session. If you need extra support — from coaching to counselling or further sessions — we’re here to help you continue moving forward.
Ready to find a resolution?
Book now and take the first step towards peace
Family Dispute Resolution Pricing Information
We know talking about money can feel a bit awkward – so we like to keep things clear and simple. Here’s how our Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) pricing works:
Individual Intake Sessions
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$350 per person (60-minutes)
Joint Mediation Sessions
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$350 per hour, per person
The length of the mediation depends on how complex your matter is.
Example of a simple case:
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2 x Individual Intake Sessions = $700 total
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3-hour Mediation Session = $2,100 total ($1,050 each)
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Total: $2,800 (or $1,400 each)
For more complex matters that need more time, extra hours are simply billed at the same rate:
$700 per additional hour ($350 each)
Every situation is unique, so feel free to give us a call and we’ll happily walk you through what the process might look like for you—including a personalised breakdown of costs.
Meet Renee
Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner
Renee began her career in family and child protection law, driven by a deep desire to support families through tough times. Disheartened by how impersonal the system could be, she shifted to Family Dispute Resolution when it became a key step in family law—and has now worked in the space for over 15 years.
She’s trained as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Child and Family Therapist, Child Consultant, and Family Group Conference Facilitator, with experience across not-for-profits and private practice. Whether working with Legal Aid or in her own practice, Renee brings a warm, human approach to every conversation.
Meet Nathan
Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner
NMAS Mediator
Nathan is an NMAS Accredited Mediator, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, and seasoned estate agent who brings a unique blend of experience to help individuals and families navigate life’s trickier moments with clarity and confidence.
Whether supporting clients through family law matters, parenting agreements, property settlements, or those hard-to-have conversations, Nathan approaches each mediation with calm, focus, and a deep commitment to practical, forward-thinking outcomes. With his real estate background, he brings insight into the emotional and financial complexities of property negotiations, offering steady guidance every step of the way.
Meet Evie
Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner
Couples Counselling Specialist
Evie is a compassionate and down-to-earth Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Counsellor, with over a decade of experience supporting couples and families through life’s more challenging seasons. With a calm and client-led approach, Evie creates a space where people feel genuinely heard, supported, and empowered to move forward with clarity and confidence.
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Specialising in both mediation and family counselling, Evie understands that no two families are the same. She tailors her support to meet the unique rhythms and relationships in front of her—always with care, respect, and a focus on what truly matters.
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How can mediation help in resolving will disputes?Mediation can help in resolving will disputes by providing a neutral and confidential environment for parties to discuss their concerns and interests. A mediator facilitates communication and helps parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement, avoiding costly and lengthy court battles.
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Who pays for Facilitative Mediation?Generally, the parties each pay for their own individual sessions and split the cost of any joint sessions equally. However, in some cases, arrangements are made by a workplace or other organisation to pay for the mediation costs if they are organising it for employees for example. If another individual or organisation has agreed to pay mediation costs on your behalf we can arrange for invoicing to go to them directly.
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Is a mediation agreement legally binding?An agreement reached in facilitative mediation is not legally binding. It is a moral agreement made voluntarily by both parties. You many however choose to take your agreement to a lawyer to have it formalised.
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What if there’s something I’d like to share with the mediator, but I don’t want the other party to know?Facilitative mediation is a completely confidential process. Anything you share with the mediator privately, outside of the other parties’ presence, will remain between you and the mediator. However, there are some limits to confidentiality, such as the mediator’s duty to report any concerns related to the safety of minors, as they are mandatory reporters. You can find more details about these limits here.
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Is it possible to organise for mediation to be held in person?All Halo Journey services are facilitated 100% online. We cannot provide services in person.
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Is an agreement guaranteed?Rather than making recommendations or imposing a decision, the mediator encourages disputants to reach their own voluntary solution by exploring each other’s deeper interests. It is completely up to the parties as to whether or not they reach an agreement.
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What equipment do I need to participate in the process?All you require is a stable internet connection and a device to dial into the booked appointments such as a computer, laptop, iPad, or tablet.
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Can both parties attend using the same device in a joint session?We recommend each party join the session from their own device and location where they feel comfortable. To ensure confidentiality, it’s essential that each party participates from a private space where no one else can overhear the mediation.
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What if someone wants me to attend mediation, but I don’t feel like going? Do I have to?Facilitative mediation is completely voluntary. You only need to attend if you willingly choose to.
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Can I request a particular Mediator for my Mediation?Absolutely! If they are available and as long as there are no conflicts of interest, we will accommodate your preferred choice of mediator.
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What if my teenager doesn't want to participate? Can I force them to go?Mediation is a voluntary process and all parties must be willing to participate in mediation. No-one can be forced to attend a Mediation.
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Can a teenager enquire about the service before talking to their parents?Of course. The process can be started by either the parent(s)/guardian(s) or the adolescent.
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Is the process the same for Parent and Adolescent Mediation as for other types of mediation?The process is a little bit different. The initial one-hour intake consultation will always be for the adolescent first and following that, an initial intake consultation will be held with the parent(s)/guardian(s). The length of the joint mediation session may also vary depending on the circumstances and individual needs of the family members. This will be discussed with each party at the initial intake consultations and then determined by the Mediator and communicated to the parties prior to booking in the joint mediation session.
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Is mediation a good choice for every family?Parent and Adolescent Mediation is a great option and works well for a lot of families, however, not all. In the initial intake consultations, the Mediator will make an assessment about whether or not Parent and Adolescent Mediation is appropriate in your situation. The Mediator will be able to make referrals to other services if it is not.
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How much experience have the Halo Journey Mediators had working with families and Adolescents?A lot! Chloe has been working with young people professionally for 20 years and counting. Her experience working with families and teenagers in particular has been facilitated in schools, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, in private practice and voluntarily across various community groups and charities. She has formal qualifications and has previously worked with young people in the professional capacity of being a Chaplain, Youth Worker, Counsellor, Psychotherapist, and Public Speaker. Chloe is now dedicating her time professionally to working as a Facilitative Mediator and growing Halo Journey with the aim of being a leader of choice across Australia in Professional People Helping.
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How does Halo Journey advocate for and protect the safety and wellbeing of young people?All children who access services at Halo Journey have a right to feel and be safe. The welfare of the children in our care will always be our first priority and we have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and harm. We aim to create a child safe and child-friendly online environment where children feel safe. Find out more about our commitment to child safety and wellbeing here.
Referral
If you’re part of a school, church, sporting club, or community group and would like more information about our services, or if you’d like to refer a family from your community to Halo Journey, we’d love to hear from you.
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Feel free to reach out to us at info@halojourney.com.au with any questions