Mediation and Parenting Coordination for Winter Park Parents
If you live in Winter Park, you can work with Jessica Oliver, LCSW, entirely online. She handles divorce and parenting plan mediation and court-appointed parenting coordination, and Orange County sessions are held on Zoom.
Jessica’s qualifications
She holds a Florida Supreme Court certification as a family mediator (44460 CF), a Florida clinical social work license (SW18101) and qualification as a parenting coordinator. Her office is in Dade City, and she meets clients there only if they live in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco or Sumter County. Winter Park parents meet with her over video.
How Jessica approaches mediation
She is neutral and says so at the start. Nothing she says tells you who is right, and she will not guess how a judge would rule. What she does is keep both parents focused on the children and on terms each can accept. She is not a lawyer and gives no legal advice. Her background is more than 10 years of social work, spelled out on the about page.
What a Zoom mediation involves
Join from a phone, tablet or laptop in a room where you can speak freely. If sitting in the same virtual room is uncomfortable, Jessica can place each parent in a separate breakout room and go between them. Setup details are on the virtual family mediation page. The usual order of events:
A brief intake call with each parent to learn what is in dispute, flag any safety concerns and confirm that Zoom works.
Parents pull together pay stubs, a list of accounts and debts, and the children’s current schedule.
Jessica leads one or more sessions on Zoom, with the parents together or apart.
She puts the agreed terms in writing so each side’s attorney and the court can look them over.
Winter Park falls under the Ninth Judicial Circuit, as does the rest of Orange County. Unrepresented people who want to file a family case can turn to the Orange County Clerk’s Self Help Center at the downtown courthouse. If a case is already open, the court order or a written agreement between the parties controls whether mediation may be held remotely. That is a question for your attorney. Jessica can’t answer it.
Subjects parents mediate
Mediation lets parents write their own terms instead of waiting on a judge. Common subjects from Winter Park families include:
Time-sharing, the parenting plan, holidays and school breaks
Child support and shared costs such as childcare and activities
Dividing the home, retirement accounts, vehicles and debts
Modifying an existing parenting plan or support order
Paternity and the schedule that follows
Read more on the mediation services page. Jessica makes no promises about results, because the parents decide what is in the agreement.
Court-appointed parenting coordination
After a parenting plan is in place, a judge may appoint a parenting coordinator to keep it working. The coordinator helps parents settle day-to-day disputes over exchanges, schooling and communication so they do not have to return to court every time. Jessica accepts these appointments for Orange County families as a Qualified Parenting Coordinator, and the parenting coordination page covers the process.
Rates
Each service is priced on its own, and the first 30-minute consultation is free.
Mediation
$250 per hour.
Two-hour minimum per booking.
Parenting coordination
$250 per hour.
Billed in 6-minute increments.
Retainer set case by case.
Questions from Winter Park parents
Can Winter Park parents see Jessica in person?
Not unless they live in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco or Sumter County, where she meets clients at her Dade City office by appointment. Winter Park meetings take place on Zoom.
Do we need a court case open before we mediate?
No. Some parents mediate before anything is filed and others after. Attorneys are welcome, and so is coming without one. Jessica does not give legal advice, so check with your own lawyer before you sign.
What is the difference between a mediator and a parenting coordinator?
A mediator helps parents reach an agreement. A parenting coordinator helps parents carry out a plan they already have, often after a court appoints one. Jessica generally doesn’t serve one family in both roles.
What does mediation cost?
Mediation is $250 per hour with a two-hour minimum per booking, and the first 30-minute consultation is free. Parenting coordination is a separate service at $250 per hour in 6-minute increments, with a retainer set case by case. The total depends on how many sessions your case needs.
Can a deployed or relocating parent take part?
Yes. Zoom lets a parent who is deployed, stationed elsewhere or moving join from wherever they are, and sessions can be set across time zones. Ask your attorney, or a military legal assistance office if you qualify, how military rules apply to you.
What should I bring to the first session?
Recent pay records, a list of what you own and owe, and your children’s routine. Jessica will say if she needs anything more.
Is Jessica an attorney?
No. She is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified family mediator. She does not give legal advice, and mediation is not therapy.
How do I book?
The online scheduler books a free 30-minute consultation. You can also call (813) 449-2500 or email jessica@calminchaos.net.
Ready to talk?
Schedule a consultation. The first half hour is free. Jessica is available Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, and on weekends by appointment. The locations page shows every area she serves, including Apopka, Orlando and nearby Lake County. Parents in a collaborative divorce can read about her part in it on the collaborative divorce page.
This page gives general information only. Reading it does not create a professional relationship with Jessica or advise you on your situation.