Manhattan Mediators – Family and Divorce Mediator was created by Ana-Lisa Gertner and Hal Gessner to help couples and families resolve their conflicts. We have formed a unique partnership that approaches mediation as a team. Using our skills and experience, we help you untangle the complex issues in your dispute, so that a lasting solution can be agreed upon.

Between us we have mediated many cases and our clients have found that the integration of our individual expertise and diverse backgrounds provided them with a successful and rewarding experience.

Ana-Lisa Gertner

Mediation Expertise: As a family and divorce mediator, Ana-Lisa uses her strong mediation skills to specialize in resolving a wide spectrum of family and interpersonal conflicts with compassion and effectiveness.

Coaching for Success: Trained at New York University (NYU), Ana-Lisa excels in coaching individuals to define their goals and discover solutions. Ana-Lisa’s coaching extends to various life transitions, goal setting, productivity enhancement, decision making and guidance through the complexities of dating and divorce. Ana-Lisa also works with groups and companies, teaching them coaching and other communication skills. She also runs support groups. 

Divorce Coaching and Strategy: In her role as a divorce coach, Ana-Lisa leverages her unique perspective from her divorce mediation services where she empowers clients to strategize and prioritize, ensuring they make informed decisions rooted in reason rather than emotion. Her expertise extends to facilitating healthier communication with ex-partners. Ana-Lisa assists clients in effectively communicating with their legal and professional advisors, optimizing time and resources. 

Training and Community: Driven by her passion for sharing knowledge and expertise, Ana-Lisa actively contributes to the mediation community. She serves as a Director at the Center for Mediation and Training, where she supervises a weekly practicum for aspiring divorce mediators. Beyond this, Ana-Lisa conducts private training sessions for individuals and groups on a range of topics related to mediation and conflict resolution. Her commitment to the field is further demonstrated by her involvement as a member of the Advisory Board at Family Kind and her active participation in prestigious organizations, including the Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM), the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of New York (FDMC), and the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (NYSCDM).

Hal Gessner

Hal Gessner is a certified mediator specializing in the areas of Divorce, Family, and Marital Mediation.

He also is a mentor and mediator for the New York Peace Institute resolving disputes in community, housing, family, business, Civil Court and Criminal Court cases. In addition, he coaches NYPD officers in using mediation techniques to de-escalate conflicts.

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