Erickson Mediation Institute opens office in Shakopee

(October 2007) On October 1, Erickson Mediation Institute opened a new office in Shakopee to serve the southwest Twin Cities metro area. The office is in addition to their Bloomington location.

The office is headed by Amber Serwat, M.A., family mediator and parent consultant. The office is located at 500 South Marschall Road, Suite 310 in Shakopee. Amber can be reached at (952) 252-1492 (fax is the same). Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Limited evening appointments available on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The office was established to serve the growing populations in Scott, Carver and Dakota counties and the cities of Prior Lake, Savage, Shakopee, Chaska, Chanhassen, Burnsville and Lakeville, among others.

"On a broad level, as a mediator I hope to expand awareness of and access to family mediation in the southwest suburbs," Serwat said. "Too many divorcing couples get caught in an adversarial legal process which, in addition to being very expensive, often leaves parents unable to effectively co-parent after divorce."

"I believe that how parents decide to divorce is in itself a parenting decision. And, that divorce mediation greatly reduces the harmful impact of divorce because it assists divorcing couples to end their marital relationship while at the same time make decisions about how to restructure their family and define their new parenting relationship. My hope is that as a mediator I can help divorcing parents avoid the common pitfalls of divorce and move forward as effective and hopefully cooperative co-parents."