Friday Night Award Reception & Mixer

Join us at the Friday Night Award Reception and Mixer, held at the stunning Westin Hotel in Costa Mesa, to kick off the 8th Annual Family Mediation Institute in style!

This special evening celebrates excellence within the mediation community, highlighting individuals whose contributions have had a tremendous impact on the field. This year, we are honored to present the prestigious Forrest “Woody” Mosten SCMA Star Award for Excellence in Family Mediation to our keynote speaker, Susan Guthrie, for her outstanding leadership and trailblazing work in family mediation.

This is the perfect opportunity to network, connect, and mingle with fellow conference attendees in an elegant and relaxed setting. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate Susan’s achievements and engage with peers while enjoying the exceptional hospitality of the Westin Hotel.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday’s Dynamic Lineup

As a family dispute professional, you won’t want to miss the incredible lineup we’ve curated for this year’s 8th Annual Family Mediation Institute. From start to finish, Saturday is packed with empowering sessions designed to elevate your practice and impact in the field.

We’ll kick off the day with our keynote speaker, Susan Guthrie, as she explores how AI has become a disruptive force in family mediation and provides actionable insights on how to leverage this technology to enhance your work.

We’re also thrilled to welcome Bill Eddy, a world-renowned expert on high-conflict dynamics, who will present strategies to navigate and reduce conflict in the mediation room while fostering productive resolutions.

Additionally, you’ll gain tools to help families navigate divorce in a way that lessens its destructive impact of divorce and promotes healthier outcomes. To further support your practice, you’ll also learn essential strategies for marketing your firm effectively in today’s competitive landscape.

And that’s just the beginning—this year’s conference offers a wealth of valuable topics and workshops tailored to empower your practice and enhance the critical work you do with families. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s instore for you:

• Morning Sessions: 
  • Workshop 1 – Parenting (Kelly & Christina)
  • Workshop 2 – High Conflict Mediation: 10 Paradigm Shifts (Bill Eddy)
  • Workshop 3 – Mindset Mastery (Tania Leichliter)

• Afternoon Sessions: 
  • Workshop 4 – Breakout Workshop (Susan Guthrie)
  • Workshop 5 – Marketing (Murphy Funkhauser)
  • Workshop 6 – TBD
  • Closing Expert Panel