A DIFFERENT KIND OF DIVORCE MEDIATION
Built on 27 years of family law and one principle:
the most regulated nervous system in the room shapes the room.
I help couples divorce without court, without escalation, and without losing themselves in the process.
Flat-fee mediation. Massachusetts-based. Virtual or in-person.
Located in the Greater Newburyport area (including Amesbury, Salisbury, Merrimac, Haverhill, Rowley). Available in-person or virtual. Serving all of Massachusetts. Your local integrative divorce mediator.
Mediation, the way it should have always worked.
Most people think a mediator decides for you. I don't. My job is to sit between you as a neutral third party and help you co-create an agreement that will actually last — one you both understand, both agreed to, and both walk away from intact.
That means no judge. No opposing counsel. No escalating filings. Just a structured, paced process designed to keep both of your nervous systems regulated enough to make sound decisions about the rest of your lives.
About Mardi
I spent twenty-seven years practicing family law, much of it in high-conflict and crisis cases. I've seen what the legal system does to people — and I've been through my own divorce, so I've seen it from the inside too. What I do now combines the legal expertise I built over those decades with nervous system-informed practice. Because divorce isn't just a legal event. It's a physiological one. And it has to be handled as both.
Media + Interviews
Want to know what it's actually like to work with me — how I think, what I care about, and why I do divorce the way I do? This is a good place to start. Pull up a podcast on your morning walk, catch an interview over coffee, or read something when you have a quiet moment. It's all here — the real conversations about what divorce costs people, why the current system so often fails them, and what becomes possible when we do this differently. Take a peek.
I recently joined the Scary To Remarry show to discuss the nervous system's role in legal strategy.
The D.Tales Podcast interview where I talk with host Allison Kahler about all things nervous system regulation and divorce. We talk about how I use this in mediation and how it can also be used in high conflict cases. I even share some of my secrets - like when I brought my tuning forks to court with me to help a client right before a hearing!
Nervous System Regulation in Mediation Join me as I chat with the hosts of The Divorce Detox Podcast, Lisa Happ + Jolee Vacchi on all thing nervous system regulation and how I use it in my divorce mediation practice.
In this episode of the Non-Billable Hours Podcast, I share my journey from planning to enter criminal justice to a 25-year career practicing family law, and how that path led her to rethink everything about how lawyers handle high-conflict situations, trauma, and client well-being. We dive into:
➡️ Why traditional family law often escalates conflict
➡️ How trauma and the nervous system shape legal outcomes
➡️ The role of somatic healing, breathwork, and even sound healing in mediation
➡️ Practical ways lawyers can reduce stress—for themselves and their clients
➡️ A bold vision for a more humane, effective legal system
Reviews
-
Shauna L.
“Mardi's dedication to helping me navigate the difficult & sensitive family court proceedings not only saved my relationship with my son, but ultimately reunited our family. Her rapport with & working knowledge of the court helped us anticipate & execute the appropriate steps needed to mitigate & meet both my son's needs & the concerns of the court. Her honest & savvy ability to straddle the line as both a respected member of the court & a caring member of humanity gave me the support, insight & confidence needed to traverse such an uncomfortably intimate journey to triumphant completion.”
-
Todd B.
“Mardi brings an amazing collection of skills to bear to make a very challenging time just a little easier. From true legal advice, and guidance, mixed with her deep mediation skills - all serve to try and minimize costs - financial, emotional and karmic costs. She can be grounded, deliberate and forceful without coming across as shrill, arrogant or not caring, which helps make the divorce process feel less "us versus them." In the end, I felt like I had made a lifelong friend and partner that helped me through a very difficult time in my life, and I'm forever grateful.”
-
John B.
Mardi is a total professional. She thoroughly reviews the facts of the case, considers all options, and makes sound recommendations. She provides a honest service based on the customer’s needs and not on the firms’ Effort to make money.
Sign up for thoughtful, compassionate insights on navigating divorce with clarity, calm, and confidence. You’ll receive practical tools, emotional support tips, and updates on how to move forward with strength—delivered occasionally to your inbox.
We promise: no spam, no pressure—just supportive guidance, when you need it.