​​MY FLORIDA MEDIATOR

REGISTRATION: Click here to learn more about Dependency Mediation. Before registering for this course, please review the below information which includes the mediation certification and course eligibility requirements, course fees, etc.  By registering, you are asserting that you meet the below educational requirements for certification or have the permission of the instructor to take this course. Registration Fee: $1,125 until 10/23/2025 and $1175 after 10/23/2025.  Your registration is not confirmed until you receive email confirmation directly from My Florida Mediator.  

​​REGISTER HERE: 

​​IMPORTANT  FLORIDA MEDIATOR CERTIFICATION INFORMATION: This course meets the Florida Supreme Court training standards for certification as a dependency mediator. There are additional requirements for certification by the Florida Supreme Court which are described in the Florida Rules for Certified and Court Appointed Mediators.  Click here to learn about all the requirements for mediator certification.

MEDIATION CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY: Registration is reserved for individuals who possess a master’s or doctorate (e.g., Ph.D., J.D., M.D., Ed.D., LL.M) degree. Individuals with a bachelor’s degree who have either five years mediation experience or a graduate certificate in conflict resolution may also register. Others may enroll with the permission of the instructor. The number of course participants is limited. 

REGISTRATION FEE: Register at least two weeks prior to class start date for $1,125 and after that date the fee is $1,175. No refunds within ten days of class start date. If you withdraw at least ten days prior to class start date, a $35 administrative fee will be charged. Substitutions allowed until one day prior.  Enrollment is limited to 40 participants. My Florida Mediator reserves the right to cancel any programs in which case fees are fully refunded. Register online with a credit card, debit card or PayPal to confirm your space. A confirmation letter will be sent upon receipt of your registration and payment if space is available. Registration is not confirmed until full payment is received.

COURSE SCHEDULE: 

Thursday, November 6th: Noon to 5:00 pm
Friday, November, 7th: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday, November 8th: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday, November 13th: Noon - 5:00 pm
Friday, November 14th: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday, November 15th: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

TEACHING METHODOLOGY: This course combines lectures, discussion and role playing to promote comprehensive understanding and practical skills development in the growing field of family mediation.

PRIMARY TRAINER: Gregory Firestone, Ph.D. is a mediator, mediation trainer, dispute resolution system consultant, and retired clinical psychologist who founded and directed the University of South Florida (USF) Conflict Resolution Collaborative (from 1994 until retiring in 2016), and currently serves as President of My Florida Mediator and a collaborative faculty member in the USF College of Public Health. Greg served on the Florida Supreme Court (FSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Rules and Policy Committee (including Vice Chair for seven years) and on various standing FSC ADR committees for twenty-two years. In addition, he represented two national mediation organizations in the Uniform Law Commission Uniform Mediation Act Drafting Committee (for three years), chaired the FSC Taskforce on Parenting Coordination, and chaired the ADR subcommittee of the FSC Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Taskforce.

Greg is a practicing 1) Florida Supreme Court certified Appellate, Circuit Court, Dependency, and Family Mediator, 2) Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Advanced Practitioner, and 3) Diplomate Member of the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators. Greg has practiced mediation for decades, trained thousands of mediators from around the world and directed a residential mortgage mediation program for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida for eight years.

Through Dr. Firestone’s extensive participation and leadership in state and national ADR policy and rulemaking committees, leadership in the establishment of both pre-suit and court mandated alternative dispute resolution programs throughout the U.S and internationally, service on the editorial board of Family Court Review, publication of book chapters and journal articles, leadership roles in state, national and international ADR organizations, Greg has played a pivotal role in shaping ADR public policy and establishing ADR as an ethical and invaluable means to divert and resolve cases pending in the judicial system as well as pre-suit cases. In acknowledgement of his pivotal role in building the field for more than forty years, Greg has received numerous state and national awards including, but not limited to, the prestigious Florida Supreme Court Sharon Press Excellence in ADR Award and Presidential Awards from both the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.

ADDITIONAL FACULTY

​Michelle Artman Smith, Esq. is Alternative Dispute Resolution Director for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida. She is a licensed attorney and Florida Supreme Court Certified County, Family, and Dependency Mediator and serves on the Florida Supreme Court Mediator Qualifications and Discipline Review Board.

CONTINUING EDUCATION 

Attorneys: Approved by the Florida Bar (2504193N) for 48 general CLE Credits including 5 Ethics Credits, 48 hours of Juvenile Law Certification Credits and 48 hours of Marital and Family Law Certification Credits.  

Psychologists and Mental Health Professionals: Continuing Education, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Continuing Education, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Designation: As an organization approved by the American Psychological Association, Continuing Education, Inc. is offering this activity for a maximum of 40 hours of continuing education credit.  Each psychologist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Social Workers:  As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Continuing Education, Inc is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 40 Clinical continuing education credits. Does not apply to the following states/provinces: New Jersey, New York, Yukon Territories.

Physicians: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Continuing Education, Inc./University at Sea and My Florida Mediator. The Continuing Education, Inc./University at Sea is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Continuing Education, Inc. designates this live activity for a maximum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Mediators: Portions of this mediation certification course are eligible for CME credit.  Mediators are required to self-report hours applicable to their areas of certification at the time of their renewal.  For more information on CME requirements, visit www.flcourts.org, select Alternative Dispute Resolution found under the Resources and Services tab.​

ONLINE COURSE: This course will be offered via Zoom.  Course attendees must participate via a computer or tablet with reliable high speed internet connection.  More details can be found here.  

WHAT IS DEPENDENCY MEDIATION?  Click here to learn more about Dependency Mediation.     

​​​​Dependency Mediation Certification Training

November 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 & 15, 2025

Primary Trainer: Gregory Firestone, Ph.D.

Online Course

Approved by the Florida Supreme Court
- Offered online via Zoom.  ​
- Free help scheduling required mediations to observe/co-mediate.
- Free CLEs, CEUs, and CMEs awarded as described below.

​- Additional Expert Faculty described below