I'm Mari Ickes, founder of Spartickes Solutions, and I'm looking forward to empowering you to be your own Gladiator. Divorce is such a difficult time. Even if you are the one driving the decision, there is a loss that you need to come to terms with. Everything is so uncertain. You're looking for relief. You're trying to find yourself. You want to feel secure and happy again. When I was going through my own divorce, I had such a hard time finding my voice. I knew that I needed a Gladiator to represent me because I didn't feel like I was strong enough to fight for what I needed or for what my kids needed. I did find a Gladiator. My lawyer listened to my needs and desires and she presented my case, resulting in what I think turned out to be a relatively fair settlement. But it could've been even better. My kids had added pressures to navigate their new lives because their adults didn't know how to communicate anymore. I know the process was also difficult for my ex-husband. To this day, his words "I just want to be heard" still ring in my head. I didn't hear him. I didn't know how. It took me YEARS after my divorce to find my own voice, to truly understand what I wanted from my new life and how I wanted to navigate through this world, how to thrive. It took really examining my own needs and figuring out a way for them to be met. I needed to learn how to be my own Gladiator. And now I truly am. I don't stand for bullshit. I know how to thoughtfully communicate and express my needs without wavering. I didn't know that mediation was an option instead of having a lawyer. Before I went through the process of becoming a certified mediator, I had actually thought it was something that was only ordered through the court system. Since I hadn't been ordered to go through mediation, I assumed I didn't need it. Boy was I wrong! I am 100% confident that if we would've sought mediation instead of litigation, my ex-husband and I would've gained the skills necessary to be better parents. We would have both been heard. We would've come to a settlement that helped all of us instead of having to compromise. We would've saved money, and most important to me, we would've each realized our own voices a lot sooner. My divorce ended up being the best thing that happened to me. It was a painful process. It was a long and expensive process. However, I found relief on the other side. I can't help but wonder, though, how much easier my life would've been with a mediator. I would've started the process of finding my own voice a lot sooner and accelerated past the devastation and learned to live life to the fullest. That is why I am a mediator. I want others to accelerate past the devastation and learn to live life to the fullest sooner and cheaper than through the normal litigation process. My commitment to you is to fight for your right to be heard, even when you don't know what you want to say or how to say it. We're going to figure it out together, and YOU, as well as your spouse, are going to learn to be your own Gladiators so that you can transition to your new normal and thrive in your new life. I can’t wait to get started!
