Membership in APFM

Are you a professional family mediator?

Do you want to take charge of your career?

Do you want to increase your knowledge and skills?

Do you want to enrich your network?

If you answered yes, then you belong in the Academy of Professional Family Mediators!

Membership in APFM brings together the collective wisdom of professional family mediation practitioners, researchers and educators. APFM offers various levels of membership, ranging from new mediators to those who have practiced for many years. Further, APFM is committed to the development of a competency-based credentialing for professional family mediators, through the Professional Mediation Board of Standards, that will guide a member from entry into the field all the way through credentialing. APFM recognizes the diversity within families and encourages professional development in a wide range of areas of family mediation practice. In addition, to the areas of divorce and child custody, these include elder mediation, parent-child mediation, family business mediation, conflict within intact families, intergenerational conflicts, and conflicts involving non-traditional families, such as same sex couples and adoptions.

APFM Member Benefits

As a member of the Academy of Professional Family Mediators, you will have the opportunity to enjoy some or all of the following benefits based upon your membership category:

Grow your skills, build you practice, help more families. Join now!

APFM-Membership-sheet-v202205

Click on image above to download a PDF of the APFM membership flyer.

Join or Renew

If you know the category in which you would like to join or renew, select from the options below, or scroll through the categories on this page to choose the membership category that best matches your current level of training and experience or other involvement in the field of family mediation. Please note that APFM certified memberships require a completed and approved application and only previously certified members can purchase or renew certified memberships.

In 2022 we introduced, as a convenience to members, automatic renewal for all membership levels, for which a credit or debit card is needed.  APFM does not store, access, or have access to your card information. Card information is kept securely at our payment processor, Stripe. You may nevertheless choose to not have your membership automatically renewed.

APFM Membership Categories

Student Member ($75):

  • Is a full- or part-time matriculated student, currently training as a mediator, or seeking training opportunities as a mediator;
  • A student member will receive all APFM benefits, except for a listing in the Directory on the website.

Mediator Member ($150):

  • Completed 40-hour basic family mediation training, or similar training, both of which must include training in domestic violence dynamics, but has not yet met the requirements for Practitioner Member; and
  • Is engaged in on-going professional development.

Practitioner Member ($200):

  •  Mediated 20 or more divorce cases to completion (including developing an equitable distribution plan, a memorandum of understanding, and/or a mediated marital settlement agreement), or completed a minimum of 100 total session-hours; or
  • Mediated 20 or more mixed types of family cases (e.g. divorce, parenting plans, elder disputes, post-divorce issues, court-connected custody/visitation disputes, parent-child disputes, pre-marital plans or marital disputes), or completed a minimum of 100 total session-hours; and
  • Completed 40-hour basic family mediation training, or similar training, both of which must include training in domestic violence dynamics; and
  • Completed an additional 40 hours of training or continuing education in family mediation; and
  • Continues to complete at least 15 hours of on-going professional development every two years.

Certified Practitioner Member ($250):

  • Meets the Practitioner Member requirements above; and
  • Completed an application for Certified Practitioner Member that was approved ($100 one-time application fee);
  • Attested on first certification application, and at each renewal, that:
    • Member carries current malpractice insurance;
    • Member continues to complete at least 15 hours of on-going professional development every two years;
    • Member has never relinquished or surrendered a previously held license or certification in any field;
    • Member pledges to follow the APFM Ethical Standards for Professional Family Mediators

Learn more about or apply for APFM Certified Practitioner membership here.

Advanced Practitioner Member ($250):

  • Mediated 100 or more divorce cases to completion (including developing an equitable distribution plan, a memorandum of understanding, and/or a mediated marital settlement agreement), or completed a minimum of 500 total session-hours; or
  • Mediated 100 or more mixed types of family cases (e.g., divorce, parenting plans, elder disputes, post-divorce issue(s), court-connected custody/visitation, parent-child disputes, pre-marital plan or marital disputes), or completed a minimum of 500 or more total session-hours; and
  • Completed 40-hour basic family mediation training, or similar training, both of which must include training in domestic violence dynamics; and
  • Completed an additional 60 hours of training or continuing education in family mediation and mediation practice skills; and
  • Continues to complete at least 15 hours of on-going professional development every two years.

Certified Advanced Practitioner Member ($300):

  • Meets the requirements for Advanced Practitioner Member, above; and
  • Completed an application for Certified Advanced Practitioner that was approved ($100.00 one-time application fee);
  • Attested on first certification application and at each renewal:
    • Member carries current malpractice insurance;
    • Member continues to complete at least 15 hours of on-going professional development every two years;
    • Member has never relinquished or surrendered a previously held license or certification in any field;
    • Member pledges to follow the APFM Ethical Standards for Professional Family Mediator.

Learn more about or apply for APFM Certified Practitioner membership here.

Adjunct Membership Categories

Related Professional Associate Member ($150):

  • Contributes to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution, or the field of family issues, in the capacity of a therapist, CDFA, attorney, clinician, etc.; or
  • May be a friend, contributor, researcher, trainer, or educator to the profession; and
  • Does not currently practice mediation.

Institutional Subscriber Member ($75)

  • Is an institution (e.g., a university or training center) that wishes to support and/or promote family mediation, and stay abreast of developments in the field. Please note that Institutional members are allowed one directory listing, and one registration or member discount per event.
Members of ALL categories agree and pledge to abide by the Ethical Standards for Professional Family Mediators.

The Academy of Professional Family Mediators Standards of Practice for Professional Family Mediators are available here as a downloadable PDF.

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