About Us - Bayside Mediation

About Bayside Mediation

Bayside Mediation was established in March 2013, with the simple goal to provide the people of Bayside Melbourne with a real alternative to using solicitors when separating. We have since grown to a team of 3 dedicated Family Dispute Resolutions Partitioners. We have our own rooms and have recently expanded our premises to provide a number of purpose-built mediation suites to accommodate our growth.

At Bayside Mediation all our practitioners are passionate committed Family Law System Disrupters. We were all drawn to Family Dispute Resolution because of what we experienced personally and encountered professionally in the Family Law System, leaving us dishearten and angry. We provide the people of Melbourne who are separating, a faster, cheaper, more empowering process than fighting it out through solicitors and the Courts.

Whilst many mediators are trained to not be attached to outcomes, and to simply provide a process – we unapologetically are invested in positive outcomes for our clients and their children. We design a process that best suits our client’s needs. We will involve solicitors, psychologists and/or financial planners, if that is what is needed to help. We will smooth the way for both parties, whilst they walk this unfamiliar road of transitioning from an intact family to a non-intact family.

Our goal – empowering parents to make the best possible decisions for their families, both financially and emotionally.

Dianne Loveday FDRP

B.A. (Psych & Soc), (Monash)
Grad Dip., Psychotherapy & Counselling
Grad Dip., Family Dispute Resolution

Nationally Accredited Mediator
Member: AFCC, VDRA, AMA, Resolution Institute

Dianne is the principle mediator at Bayside Mediation, having founded the company 6 years ago. As a Nationally Accredited Family Dispute Resolutions Practitioner and Mediator with 15 years’ experience, Dianne works with families to minimise the distress and confusion that comes with the breakdown of a family. Dianne’s focus is firmly on the care and wellbeing of the children of the relationship. Whilst at the same time ensuring that all agreements reached are fair and equitable to all parties involved. Dianne understands her client’s requirements for a confidential, timely and considered approach to their family’s needs at this most difficult time. Her clients benefit from her experience, knowledge and training in Family Law, she is able to help her clients make sense of the process of Family Law and support and clarify the choices available to them. Her goal is to help clients create solid workable agreements that can provide clarity, guidance as couple move on from their disagreements. Dianne has undertaken extra training in dealing with difficult personalities and has experience with high conflict couples. No matter what the circumstances, Dianne works with separating couples to help them make the best choices possible for their family and their children.

Alina Kleiman

BCom/LLB (Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws), (Monash).
Grad Dip., Family Dispute Resolutions Practitioner
Nationally Accredited and Registered Mediator
Leadr Qualified Mediator

Alina practiced Family Law for several years after completing a Bachelor of Commerce / Bachelor of Laws at Monash University in 2002. She volunteered at the Family Law Assistance Program run by Monash Oakleigh Legal Service. During her time as a solicitor she represented clients in a wide range of parenting and property disputes and it was then that she came to understand the true value of conciliation and negotiation in matters involving family breakdowns and children.

When she started her own family, Alina moved away from the law to run the retail operations of a family business. However, she missed being able to help and support couples through the difficulties experienced during separation and divorce. Alina’s real passion lay in advocating for the best interests of children and she found Family Dispute Resolution offered her the opportunity to combine her knowledge of the law and her compassion for families and children whilst offering a genuine alternative to litigation.

As a qualified and registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner Alina’s goal is to inform, support and upskill her clients so that they are able to move through this difficult time smoothly and efficiently and for any children of the relationship to be protected from conflict so that they may adjust and thrive. Alina enjoys providing advice and strategies on post separation parenting. Alina is able to assist clients with mediating Parenting Plans, Property Settlements and Child Support Agreements. She also assists clients to formalise their agreements by way of Consent Orders filed with the Family Court.

Catherine Holmes

B.B.SC Grad Dip.Ch & Adol. Psych
Voc. Grad. Dip FDR

Registered Psychologist – (AHPRA)
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner with the Federal Attorney General’s Department

Cathy is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years’ experience, she is a pioneer in the field of Child Inclusive Mediation, she was extensively involved in the original development and pilot study of Child Inclusive Practice in FDR with Dr Jenn McIntosh at The Family Medication Centre. She went on to join the training team with Jenn McIntosh to roll out the Child Inclusive Practice training to the majority of FRC’s across Australia. Cathy continues to clinically supervise a number of teams in Victoria and interstate in the areas of FDC, CIP, family counselling and child contact centre work; as well as run a thriving private practice in Ormond. She is part of our team providing Child Inclusive Mediation to our clients.

Katie Stark

LLB Hons (UK)
Dispute Resolution, Master
Grad Dip., Family Dispute Resolution

Katie is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner with a Masters in Dispute Resolution. She started her career as a lawyer working in general private practice, which included representing clients in family law disputes. Katie went on to join PriceWaterhouseCoopers working in insolvency, fraud management and due diligence matters. It was during this time she started her ADR training by first completing the CIArb certificate in arbitration. She later became an accredited general mediator in Hong Kong before completing a Masters in Dispute Resolution with Charles Sturt University.

Together with her family, Katie has lived and worked in over 6 different countries before finally settling in Melbourne. As such, Katie has developed a culturally respectful and inclusive approach to her work understanding that every family has their own specific and unique needs. Witnessing first hand during her career, the debilitating impact that litigation could have on families both from a relationship and financial cost perspective, greatly influenced Katie’s thinking on and approach to, viable alternatives to litigation. Child and future focussed, she is committed to supporting families in conflict achieve workable and appropriate parenting arrangements. She is also able to draw on her professional background in assisting clients with their Property and Financial settlements in a pragmatic and efficient manner.

About Bayside Mediation

Dianne Loveday FDRP

Alina Kleiman

Catherine Holmes

Katie Stark

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