Colin Family Mediation Group LLC
Professional Family Mediators
Our mediators provide services throughout northern Virginia and are available weekdays, evenings, and weekends. Some are willing to make house calls. We also provide services to long-distance clients via phone calls, email, and Zoom video meetings.
All of the mediators in Colin Family Mediation Group LLC have been certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia to mediate family cases.
Virginia L Colin, Ph.D., Director
Formerly a research psychologist, Virginia Colin has been providing family mediation services since 1999. She specializes in helping couples and ex-couples develop parenting plans and financial agreements that support their children’s security and healthy development and their own adult well-being. Focusing solely on family mediation, she is a founding member of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators and in 2018 served as the President of that organization. Dr. Colin is also a certified mentor mediator. She is the co-author of The Guide to Low-Cost Divorce in Virginia and the solo author of the book Human Attachment, articles Divorce in Virginia, Infant Attachment: What We Know Now, and a variety of other print and Internet publications. She was also the host of Family Matters, an Internet talk radio show. She has experienced parenthood in many ways — as a single parent, a foster parent, a married parent, a divorced parent, and a remarried stepparent. More of Dr. Colin’s story is in Why I Became a Family Mediator. She enjoys reading, gardening, walking in the woods, and playing Eurogames.
Renee Kostick Reynolds, J.D.
As a licensed attorney in DC since 1993, Renee has specialized in family law cases. She became interested in family mediation as a civil, more practical alternative for clients going through a divorce. In 2011, Renee served as the Family Intake Specialist at Northern Virginia Mediation Service. There she became well-versed in the legal trends in Virginia as they relate to divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution of assets and debt, tax issues upon divorce, and the standards and norms upon which the courts rely when deciding what would be in the best interests of children. In addition to helping private mediation clients, Renee accepts court-referred cases in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Manassas. Renee enjoys biking, hiking, reading and finding new adventures with her husband and four children.
Rick Schapira, P.E., J.D.
As a licensed attorney in Virginia, Florida, and the District of Columbia and a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia, Rick has specialized in family and workplace mediation as a productive and efficient alternative to litigation. A retired senior executive, he was Deputy General Counsel of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. He is a certified District Court and Circuit Court mediator for civil and family cases and is a certified mentor mediator. He is well-versed in Virginia law as it relates to divorce, co-parenting, equitable distribution of assets and debts, tax issues upon divorce, and the standards and norms upon which the courts rely when deciding what would be in the best interests of children. He is also well-versed in federal law as it relates to workplace disputes. As a mediator, he strives to assist his clients in reaching creative solutions to their specific situations. Rick enjoys scuba diving, kayaking, and spending time with his dogs.
Dorothy Douglas Taft
Dorothy brings to the mediation table her keen listening skills and decades of experience working in the US Congress, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the US Agency for International Development in positions that involved negotiation, diplomacy, mediation, and real life solutions to complicated problems.Her advocacy and policy work on internationally recognized political and human rights issues has taken Dorothy to more than 60 countries, requiring extensive cross-cultural communications. Having served since 2007 within her religious community as a counselor for those navigating life’s challenges, she has a deep understanding of interpersonal dynamics, working through loss, and identifying new pathways for moving forward. Showing respect to all parties, Dorothy manages to bring resolution to tense policy negotiations and difficult family conversations. When time permits, Dorothy enjoys cycling, playing her violin or bagpipes, and the culinary arts.
Lucy Nichols, J.D.
Lucy, owner of Nichols Family Solutions, LLC, also accepts clients who seek mediation services from our group. She has worked with families in conflict for more than thirty years. As a lawyer, she devoted her career to the practice of family law with an emphasis on high conflict child custody cases. Early in her career, she also served as a guardian ad litem for children. About nine years ago Lucy chose mediating instead of practicing as a lawyer because when family disputes play out in an adversarial system there are often devastating. They have long-lasting consequences that harm the entire family, especially the children. Lucy now helps families to have difficult conversations, move beyond the conflict, and create agreements that put their children’s interests at the forefront. In addition to helping private mediation clients, Lucy accepts court-referred cases in Fairfax and, as a certified Mentor Mediator, helps to train new mediators. She also works as a Christian conciliator and an Ambassador for a local Christian non-profit organization. She enjoys swimming and spending time with her teenage daughter.
To schedule a free consultation, please fill out this form or call us at 571-431-9159.
Photo credit: All photos on this page were taken by Emily Korff of Veralana Photography.
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Dear Dr. Colin: I am a freelance writer working on the December cover story for Northern Virginia Magazine. The topic is How to Have a Successful Divorce. With your expertise in this area, I was hoping you would allow me to interview you for your insights into this subject? I would probably need about 45-1 hour via phone. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by phone or by email. I would also like to interview any clients willing to share how mediation was helpful to them, and what they did to have their successful divorce. I would not publish their last name. Thanks so much and I look forward to speaking with you.
Renee Sklarew -
Thanks for providing your blog that, all of the mediators in Colin Family Mediation Group, LLC are certified by the Supreme Court of Virginia to mediate family cases. All hold numerous certificates verifying completion of mediation training programs. This type blog helps in making a good relationship between two people. thanks for you.
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