Cassandra Ringold-Graham is a private mediator and Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) with over a decade of experience working with families navigating conflict, co-parenting challenges, and complex family transitions. She is the founder of Healing Paths Mediation Services, a private mediation practice dedicated to helping families resolve disputes with dignity, clarity, and a child-centered approach.
Cassandra brings extensive experience from her work within the court system as a Child Custody Recommending Counselor and Lead Mediator with the Superior Court, where she facilitated mediation between parents involved in high-conflict custody disputes. In that role, she worked closely with judicial officers, attorneys, and families to help develop parenting plans that prioritize the best interests of children while reducing litigation and long-term conflict.
In addition to her court mediation experience, Cassandra has a strong clinical background in mental health and family systems. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy and has spent years working with individuals and families dealing with trauma, addiction, relationship challenges, and justice-involved systems. This training allows her to bring a trauma-informed, emotionally aware perspective to mediation while helping parties remain focused on practical solutions.
Through Healing Paths Mediation Services, Cassandra provides private mediation for:
• Child custody and parenting plans
• Co-parenting agreements
• Parenting time schedules
• Conflict resolution between parents
• Property and asset agreements in family matters
Her mediation style is calm, balanced, and solution-focused. Cassandra works to ensure that both parties feel heard while guiding discussions toward workable agreements that reduce stress, minimize court involvement, and protect the well-being of children.
Cassandra is also the author of “The Guide to Mediation: Healing Paths – Where Children Come First and Families Find Peace.” Her work emphasizes helping parents move beyond conflict so children can maintain healthy relationships with both parents.
Her mission is simple:When children come first, families can find peace.
Cassandra Ringold-Graham has experience in alternative dispute resolution through both court-connected mediation and private mediation practice.
She currently serves on the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Panel for the Alameda County Superior Court, where she provides mediation services in Small Claims and Probate matters. In this role, Cassandra assists parties in resolving disputes outside of court through structured negotiation and neutral facilitation, helping individuals reach mutually acceptable agreements while reducing the need for continued litigation.
Cassandra Ringold-Graham approaches mediation with a calm, structured, and solution-focused style designed to help parties move from conflict toward practical resolution. Her approach is grounded in neutrality, respectful communication, and a commitment to helping individuals reach agreements that are both workable and sustainable.
With experience in both court-connected mediation and private practice, Cassandra understands that conflict often arises from misunderstandings, heightened emotions, and competing perspectives. Her role as mediator is to create a safe and balanced environment where each participant has the opportunity to be heard while keeping the discussion focused on constructive problem solving.
Cassandra’s background in family systems and mental health allows her to recognize the emotional dynamics that can arise during disputes. She uses this insight to help parties slow down reactive communication, clarify their concerns, and explore options that may not have been previously considered. At the same time, she maintains the mediator’s role as a neutral facilitator and does not provide legal advice or advocate for either party.
In family-related matters, Cassandra places a strong emphasis on child-centered decision making. Her goal is to help parents shift conversations away from positions and toward the long-term needs and well-being of their children.
Cassandra believes that mediation works best when participants feel respected, informed, and empowered to make their own decisions. Through structured dialogue, active listening, and guided negotiation, she helps parties move toward agreements that reduce conflict, preserve relationships where possible, and minimize the need for prolonged litigation.
Her practice reflects the philosophy of Healing Paths Mediation Services:
When children come first, families can find peace.
Master of Science in Counseling
Argosy University 2012
Specialization: Marriage and Family Therapy
Bachelors of Science in Psychology
University of Phoenix 2010
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT)
California Board of Behavioral Sciences
Mediation Training
Completed mediation and dispute resolution training through programs associated with the Judicial Council of California, focusing on family court mediation, conflict resolution, and child-centered dispute resolution practices.
Cassandra has also received extensive practical training through her work within the court system as a Child Custody Recommending Counselor and Lead Mediator, where she facilitated custody mediation and assisted parents in developing parenting plans focused on the best interests of children.
Her education and training combine clinical understanding of family systems with practical court mediation experience, allowing her to approach mediation with both structure and sensitivity to the emotional dynamics involved in family conflict.
Initial Intake Session (Individual): $200 60 Minutes
Mediation Session: $350 90 minutes
Extended Mediation Session: $250 30 minutes increments
Agreement Draft: Varies
Packages Available: visit website for pricing
Session Length: Standard mediation sessions are typically 90–120 minutes.
Payment is required prior to the start of each mediation session unless otherwise agreed upon.
Initial consultations may be available for a brief discussion of the mediation process and to determine whether mediation is appropriate for the parties.
