Divorce & Family Mediation · Minnesota
Minnesota divorce & family mediation.
Zero stuffiness.
Divorce mediation: $1,695 per person, flat. Usually one prepared 3-hour session, with every decision you two make, in writing. What's included →
Your mediator is Ryan or Kate. We don’t take sides. Spouse not ready? Start with a call on your own. You don’t have to agree to anything.
15 minutes, free. Or text Ryan: (763) 316‑8323
Based in St. Paul · Most sessions on Zoom · also Minneapolis
What brings you here?
What $1,695 gets each of you
- ✓A private call with each of you first. Nobody walks in cold.
- ✓One prepared 3-hour session on Zoom. Many couples cover every issue in it.
- ✓Every decision you two make, in writing. Worked out by the two of you.
Opens a page written for the other person, with their own free call.
You Decide
You write the terms — not a court battle
4.9 Stars
4.9 out of 5 from 285+ Google reviews
Mostly Zoom
In-person meetings available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5)
Flat-Fee Pricing
No hourly billing surprises
"Ryan's calmness, casual approach, insights, and cohesiveness throughout the session helped us get through very difficult topics. I was relieved to find someone who spoke to us and for us."
— David H.
"As a family law attorney, I often refer potential clients to Ryan before they engage legal counsel. Some issues can be resolved more effectively through mediation rather than through the courts."
— Padraic Walsh, Attorney
"Ryan is a very relaxed but knowledgeable mediator. Not stuffy or formal at all, which helped me feel at ease during the process. After our session I felt informed and clear on how to move forward."
— Alexandra Rose
CHOOSE YOUR SITUATION
Start with what's actually happening
Pick the one that sounds most like you. Each one leads to its own page.
Our three-part process
The Flannel Three-Part Process
Every mediation runs on it, in this order, on purpose. Nothing is scheduled until you've both said yes.
Part 1 · The one-on-ones
15 to 45 minutes each · privateI meet with each of you, separately.
You tell me what you're worried about and what you think will be hard. Neither of you hears the other's call, and neither of you walks in cold.
Part 2 · The homework
Two halves · before you meetNumbers first, then your questions.
No binders, no stack of statements: accounts and balances. Then questions I write after both private calls, so nobody meets a hard question for the first time in the session.
Part 3 · The session
3 hours · Zoom · usually within a weekOne three-hour session, together.
You come in without an agreement. Every decision you two make goes into writing.
Why Families Across Minnesota Choose Flannel People
Professional, personal, and actually helpful
We Show Up in Flannel
Because real conversations happen when people feel comfortable. No stuffy suits, just genuine humans helping you find clarity.
We Cite Research
Every session backed by psychology and conflict resolution science—not just "trust us." Evidence-based methods that actually work.
We Get Results
4.9 out of 5 stars from 285+ Google reviews. Results matter more than professional credentials or fancy offices.
Mostly on Zoom
Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5). Mediate from your couch in your most comfortable clothes.
Meet your mediators →
Conflict floods the brain. Structure gives it back.
Neuroscience shows us that conflict activates the threat response. Cortisol and adrenaline flood the system, and rational thinking goes offline. Mediation works because we create psychological safety — a space where both people can think clearly again.
Through guided conversations informed by attachment theory and behavioral science, we help couples and families move from blame to understanding. You're not changing who you are. You're just getting unstuck together.
Flannel People at a glance
Updated October 2026
- Who
- Flannel People Mediation is a divorce mediation practice run by Ryan McLaughlin and Kate McLaughlin, based at 971 Sibley Memorial Hwy, St Paul, MN 55118.
- What
- Divorce mediation for couples anywhere in Minnesota, plus post-divorce mediation when a decree needs to change. Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5).
- Price
- Divorce mediation is $1,695 per person, flat ($3,390 for a couple): a private call with each spouse, a written intake, and one prepared 3-hour session. The over-50 package is $2,500 per person, flat, over two sessions.
- Timeline
- Most couples go from first call to having their decisions in writing in one to two weeks.
- Credentials
- Kate McLaughlin is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. Ryan McLaughlin has a JD but is not a practicing attorney. Mediators don't give legal advice; either spouse can have their own attorney review the agreement.
- Reviews
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 285+ Google reviews (as of October 2026).
- First step
- A free 15-minute call, with no obligation. Book online or call or text (763) 316-8323.
Minnesota divorce mediation: straight answers
Cost, mediators, Rule 114, and how it works
What does divorce mediation cost in Minnesota?
At Flannel People Mediation, divorce mediation costs $1,695 per person, flat, which is $3,390 for a couple. There is no hourly billing.
That fee covers a private call with each spouse, a written intake, and one prepared 3-hour joint session on Zoom. Separately, Minnesota charges $390 to $405 to file for divorce, depending on the county (as of September 2026). If either of you wants an attorney to review the agreement, that attorney bills separately.
Is there flat-fee divorce mediation in Minnesota?
Yes. Flannel People Mediation offers flat-fee divorce mediation for couples anywhere in Minnesota: $1,695 per person. Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5).
For couples over 50 sorting out pensions, retirement accounts, and the house, the over-50 package is $2,500 per person, flat, over two sessions. Either way, you know the number before you start.
Is the $1,695 per person or per couple?
Per person. Each spouse pays $1,695, so the total for a couple is $3,390. The over-50 package is $2,500 per person.
Who will my mediator be?
Your mediator will be Ryan McLaughlin or Kate McLaughlin, the two mediators at Flannel People Mediation in St. Paul.
Ryan founded the practice. He has a JD but is not a practicing attorney and doesn't give legal advice. Kate is a trained restorative mediator and a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. We'll talk about who fits your situation on the free call.
Do we need a Rule 114 qualified neutral?
Usually only if a court sends you to mediation. Minnesota's Rule 114 covers court-connected alternative dispute resolution, and a court order may call for a neutral from the state's Rule 114 roster. Private mediation that the two of you choose on your own doesn't require one.
If you do need a roster neutral, Kate McLaughlin is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the wording of any court order.
Is divorce mediation online or in person?
Mostly online. Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5), 971 Sibley Memorial Hwy, St Paul, MN 55118.
Zoom means no driving across the metro, no waiting room, and no sitting across a table from each other if that's hard right now.
How do I choose a divorce mediator in Minneapolis or St. Paul?
Ask every mediator the same questions: the total cost in writing, exactly who will mediate, whether sessions are online or in person, whether they're on the Rule 114 roster if a court requires one, and how many Google reviews they have that you can read yourself.
Our guide walks through five questions to ask and puts the Google review counts for Minnesota mediation practices side by side.
How long does mediation take?
Most divorce mediations resolve in a single three-hour session, and the full process usually takes one to two weeks end to end.
That's because the session is the last step of a three-part process: we meet with each person individually first, you complete a written pre-mediation intake, and then we mediate. By the time you're in the room together, the groundwork is already done. Some divorces need a second session, and the over-50 package is built around two.
What if my spouse won't mediate?
Reluctance is common at the start. Most people are open to mediation once they understand what it is and what it costs compared to the alternatives.
You can book the free call on your own to think through how to raise it, and we have a page written for the other person. If they say no now, circumstances change, so feel free to reach out again later.
What happens after mediation ends?
You leave with a written record of the agreements you reached. Mediation is not legal advice, legal drafting, or court approval, and we do not draft legal documents.
From there, you can review next steps, documents, and filing questions with a qualified attorney or official court resources, more organized and further along than when you started.
What types of conflict can mediation resolve?
Mostly divorce, and what comes after it. Divorcing couples use mediation to work out parenting time, the house, retirement accounts, debts, and support, and leave with every decision the two of you make, in writing. Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5).
Already divorced? Post-divorce mediation helps when the decree stops fitting your life: a move, a new job, kids who have outgrown the parenting schedule, or a change in support. We also mediate couples, family, and business conflicts.
Are Flannel People's reviews real?
Yes, and you can read them yourself. Flannel People Mediation is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 285+ Google reviews (as of October 2026).
Schedule Your Free Consultation
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Have questions? Send us a message or schedule a free consultation. We typically respond within 24 hours.
Where we're based
971 Sibley Memorial Hwy, St Paul, MN 55118. Most sessions are on Zoom. In-person meetings are available by appointment at our St. Paul office (Mon–Fri, 9–5).