Helping Hands Document and  Mediation  is a full service   Mediation Services  Company  for Pro Se Clients who wish to end their Marriage or Relationship with as little stress and cost as possible also know as uncontested Divorce or Simple Divorce or  pre- litigation Mediation .  We are  devoted to helping couples address, and successfully resolve all issues. We specialize in Divorce Mediation Services  to make the transition as easy as possible . As a Certified Florida Family Law Mediator and County Mediator  I have dedicated this  practice to helping couples mediate all of the issues involved in their separation or  divorce (Establishing or Modification of child custody and visitation or currenly known as Parenting Plans and Time Sharing , child support, Child Support Modifications , Establishment and Modifications of spousal support also know as alimony, division of assets and liabilities,  creating parenting plans, step parent Adoptions, Modification of  prior orders known as Post Divorce or order issues , Relocation  Requests  or agreeements , pre nuptual agreements, legal seperations agreements, Establishment of Paternity and parenting time for un-married couples Establishing or Modification of Child Support , etc.)

We also help with Supreme Court approved forms  and packets to make filing easy.

We can also help with the paperwork for Contest or Uncontested Divorce or other issues see Form packet page  for more information and a complete list of Supreme Court Forms that we sell .

If you are contemplating a  separation or divorce or any family matter  in Florida  and have considered consulting with a  attorney or have consulted with a attorney and can't afford a lengthy and expensive legal battle  . You may first want to   explore the benefits of working together with a Certified  Mediator in Divorce Mediation. Divorce mediation will not only save you and your spouse the considerable time and expense of an adversarial legal proceeding, but it will also shelter you and your children from the most harmful emotional effects of your divorce or separation.

That is why  mediation is especially useful for couples who must retain some sort of relationship, parental or otherwise, after the divorce. By the end of many traditional divorces, couples end up paying huge legal fees and they hate each other, which doesn’t serve as a good beginner for post-divorce relations .  For these reasons, divorce or Seperation  mediation is a procedure that more and more couples are  using to help them.

Uncontested Divorce is the way most people divorce. It's simple and inexpensive, and it offers you and your spouse the chance to end your marriage quietly and with dignity. It's not right for everybody, but it's right for many couples.

While no divorce is truly "uncontested" in the sense that there are no disagreements, these disputes do not always have to be resolved in court. That's what we mean by an uncontested divorce - one where the spouses can reach a decision as to the terms of the divorce without going to trial. That they are willing to try to Mediate the issues that they do not agree on.  Uncontested divorces move more quickly through the courts and are less expensive than contested divorces.

Contested Divorce

Unfortunately, emotions often get in the way and it is not possible to calmly discuss matters with your spouse at Mediation . Or, you may decide after attempting to settle things that you must go to Court to get what you want. If things cannot be worked out, whether one issue or many issues are in dispute, the Judge will decide on how things are going to be. 

Divorce can be the single most important event in your life.  Make sure you gather lots of information so you can make informed decisions. I suggest you speek with  an attorney so you know your rights or go on line and reveiw Florida Statues chapter 61 for a complete understanding of the law  .

 Divorce is never easy. Its emotional and financial costs can be overwhelming, and the entire  process can be bewildering.

But, at  Helping Hands  Mediation, we  help couples faced with separating their lives through divorce, or of co‑parenting after a relationship has ended.

Darlene Brower is a  highly experienced, full-time State Certified Divorce mediator. Darlene offers a positive, affordable alternative to adversarial divorce, child custody, child support or other family disputes.

With expertise in divorce,  and family issues having worked  within the Court System for many years , we help you (and your spouse or co-parent) imagine and create your own solutions that meet both your interests and especially the best interests of your children.  

In short, through mediation — clearly, an “idea whose time has come” — I try to minimize the impact of divorce or Seperation on you and your  family. 

We offer Divorce Services to help clients in Hernando County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, and Hillsborough County. Our service area includes Tampa, Clearwater, Largo,Dunedin, Saftey Harbor , New Port Richey,  Port Richey , Hudson, Spring Hill ,Brooksville, Dade City,  Zepherhills ,Lutz ,  Land O Lakes ,Wesley Chapel ,  Holiday , Tarpon Springs , Palm Harbor , and the New Tampa area and Down Town Tampa area  . Allthough we can help  parties who  live in any county in Florida .   You can contact us at  727-992-3039  or email us at info@hhdmservices.com for more information.

I would however suggest that you at least meet with an attorney and get a consultation so you know what your rights are. Read books and attend seminars and search the web for as much information from reliable sources as you can get . Remember knowledge is power and there is alot of information out there so you can educate your self on all  the issues . Also you will get an idea of what it will cost to hire an attorney to represent you should mediation not work for you and your spouse or partner .  

 So what happends at Medaition ?

The mediator remains neutral between the parties.

A trained mediator work with parties involved in disputes to help them reach mutually acceptable resolutions. Rather than focusing on who is “right” or “wrong,” mediators assist the petitioners and respondents in reaching a mutually satisfactory settlement.  Remember we don't have a dog in the Race as they would say so we are neutral .  

Mediation facilitates early and voluntary resolution of issues, as opposed to a court-imposed judgment; that is, parties decide the outcome of the mediation conference. Mediation touches people in all walks of life, ranging from issues such as neighborhood arguments to dissolution of marriage to business disputes .

Mediation is a cooperative; problem-solving process that gives couples the opportunity to control the decisions that will affect their future. Mediation allows couples to deal with their separation or divorce outside of a courtroom setting, and usually is less costly  both financially and emotionally -- than litigation. A mediator helps you identify the points on which you already agree, then works with you and your spouse to create practical, informed solutions to the others. Then reduce the agreement to writing in the format that the court wants.

You're welcome to bring your lawyer to mediation if you want to, or you can use your lawyer as an adviser between sessions if you have one .

You may also have your attorney review the agreement before you sign it this does usually cost money however , but it can be money well spent for peace of mind . 

Mediation is voluntary. It continues only for so long as all three of you - you, your spouse, and the mediator -- want it to. Your mediator has to have a good reason to withdraw. You or your spouse can withdraw from mediation at any time, for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all.

People often ask, "Does mediation really work?" In a word, yes. Statistics show that when you compare couples who have mediated their divorce with couples who go through an adversarial divorce, mediating couples are more likely to be satisfied with the process and the results, likely to take less time and spend less money, and are less likely to go back to court later to fight about something.

The Court system also believes that Mediation works , that is why it is required for all Family Cases in Florida to attend mediation before they can be set for a final hearing .  So at some point you will have to Mediate with your partner . That is why all small claims and County Court  cases go to mediation before they go to trail also . In fact most cases settle at mediation . Some  attorney's  may believe that suggesting mediation to an angry client to early on , bent on vindication, will be perceived as a sign of weakness . If the clients however could understand and  appreciate  that 93 percent of all cases filed settle before going to trial, voluntary submittal of the dispute to mediation may compare favorably with a 20-minute pretrial settlement conference in front of a harried judge. They may choose to mediate with the other party in their case early on. Which could have  save money on a long drawn out battle that ended in mediation anyway .  

In these respects, mediation gives all parties more control of the process and outcome than does litigation. So why not try it first ?

The main advantage of mediation is that it keeps you and your spouse in control of your own divorce. That can make all the difference in your recovering from your divorce and moving on with your life. Mediation allows the two of you to get through your divorce with less conflict than you would experience in an adversarial divorce. If you have children with your spouse you are going to have to have a relationship with that person forever weather you want to or not . And for the sake of the children would it not be better if there where not so many hard feelings .

When you litigate a case there is usually hard feelings that can last for years . Usually neither party is happy with the out come and animosity for the other party is higher. Because mediation is all about working with shared knowledge and compromise and that also  can often translate to more money for you also.  

If the parties can come to an agreement a mediation agreement  is drawn up by the mediatior and everyone signs the agreement and  it is then  filed with the Court  . 

Mediation offers all parties a chance, usually the only chance in the life of a case, to sit at a table with the other party  and spend sufficient time trying to work things out. The next stop is the judge's chambers, many hours and many dollars later. The answer to the question "Why should I mediate?" may be found in the answer to another question: "What have you got to lose?"

Key Qualities of the Mediation Process

Voluntary - You can leave at any time for any reason, or no reason.

Collaborative - As no participant in mediation can impose anything on anyone, everyone is motivated to work together to solve the issues and reach best agreements.

Controlled - Each participant has complete decision-making power and a veto over each and every provision of any mediated agreement. Nothing can be imposed on you.

Confidential - Mediation is generally confidential, as you desire and agree, be that by statute, contract, rules of evidence and/or privilege. Mediation discussions and all materials developed for a mediation are generally not admissible in any subsequent court or other contested proceeding, except for a finalized and signed mediated agreement. Your mediator is obligated to describe the extent of mediation confidentiality and exceptions to that confidentiality. The extent of confidentiality for any "caucus meetings" (meetings between the mediator and individual parties) should also be defined.

Informed - The mediation process offers a full opportunity to obtain and incorporate legal and other expert information and advice. Individual or mutually acceptable experts can be retained. Expert advice is never determinative in mediation. The participants always retain decision-making power. Mediators are bound to encourage parties to obtain legal counsel and to advise them to have any mediated agreement involving legal issues reviewed by independent legal counsel prior to signing. Whether legal advice is sought is, ultimately, a decision of each mediation participant.

Impartial, Neutral, Balanced and Safe - The mediator has an equal and balanced responsibility to assist each mediating party and cannot favor the interests of any one party over another, nor should the mediator favor a particular result in the mediation. Your mediator is ethically obligated to acknowledge any substantive bias on issues in discussion. The mediator's role is to ensure that parties reach agreements in a voluntarily and informed manner, and not as a result of coercion or intimidation.

Self-Responsible and Satisfying - Based upon having actively participated in voluntarily resolving issues, participant satisfaction and the likelihood of compliance are found to be elevated through mediation compared to court options.

We can help with

• Commercial/Business Disputes
• Real Estate/ Foreclosure Disputes
• Domestic Disputes (Unmarried couples who part ways after years of living together)
• Family Disputes (Divorce, Parenting plans, Custody, Alimony, Paternity ,Child Support , Relocation)
• Small Claim Court Disputes
• Cival Disputes
• Landlord /Tenant Disputes
• Home Owner and condo Association Disputes

What We Do

My Specialty is Family Mediation.  and notary service .  

• Free consultations
• Satisfaction guarantee
• Florida Notary
• Supreme Court Approved Forms for  uncontested issues .  .
• Serving all Pasco , Pinellas , Hillsborough, Hernando and all other  Florida Counties 
• State Certified Family and County  Mediator

Helping Hands Document and Mediation is a low- cost alternative  for working people . 

For a low-cost option to family  issues that allows you to maintain control of your future, consider divorce mediation.
We provide fast, friendly services.

Services  our available in our office or yours,  by mail or email.

Walk-ins are always welcome; however, appointments are appreciated and always recommended.  Clients with scheduled appointments receive preference.

Business hours are Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5.30 PM

Saturday Appointments are available by appointment only Twice a Month on a rotating basis call for dates and times available each month .  

We offer Mediation Services to help clients in Hernando County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, and Hillsborough County. Our service area includes Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, Saint Petersburg , Saftey Harbor ,  New Port Richey, Spring Hill ,Hudson , Port Richey, Brooksville, Dade City, Zepherhills and the New Tampa area .

For assistance with your divorce or divorce mediation or other family issues  contact us today at 727-992-3039, we are here to help you.

Please be advised I am a Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator not an attorney I do not give legal advice or tax advice.

 I only help you reach a mutual agreement.

If you need legal advice please contact a Licensed Florida Attorney in your area.

Call Us Today!

Free phone Consultation

Darlene Brower MS ( Mediator )

8282 Sycamore Drive

New Port Richey Florida 34654

 Phone 727-992-3039 

Fax 727-849-4416

Email  info@hhdmservices.com

Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.

• Credit Cards Accepted
• Evening & weekend appointments available

Memember of Better Business Bureau

westflorida.bbb.org