Services
Mediation Services
We offer a facilitative style in which the mediator is neutral and encourages consultation. We don’t provide content, we provide structure. We seek to help participants explain the entire story; be open to new ideas; and to be honest throughout the conversation.
We may use one mediator or may “co-mediate” depending on the complexity of the issue to be discussed. “Co-mediation” is when two mediators facilitate your session. This offers a more comprehensive, thorough approach. We find this to be a highly effective method that typically results in a very high success rate. There is no difference in price if the co-mediation model is used.
Kinds of Disputes to Mediate:
- Family Mediation – between immediate and extended family members (for example, parent and child conflict, elderly/parental placement, and inheritance).
- Divorce Mediation – concerning child support, parenting arrangements, and property division.
- Workplace Issues – including grievances, harassment, and workplace conflict.
- Juvenile Issues – such as truancy, violence, vandalism, curfew, school conflicts, etc.
- General Mediation – monetary issues, disputes between friends or acquaintances, consumer disputes, etc
- Eldercare Issues – addressing family issues, elder/staff/family issues, elder/elder living issues, etc.
How the Mediation Process Works:
Mediations are scheduled to accommodate all parties. They can be scheduled for daytime or evenings.
The process starts with each party having the opportunity to share their views without interruption. The participants should be prepared to discuss what brought them to mediation and what their interests and values are in the conflict. Mediation is about laying out concerns, not about “making a case.”
The mediators will then help the participants to shift gears into problem solving; looking for possible ways to resolve the issues at hand. There are usually several issues, not just a single issue, to work through. The mediators will help you to arrive at an appropriate solution that all parties can agree with and support.
When a solution is reached that meets everyone’s needs, the mediators will help the parties to write an agreement for all the participants to sign.
The agreement is a contract, and everyone who signs it is expected to live up to the agreement. Everyone that signs the agreement will receive a copy of it.
Participants are welcome to come back to mediation at any time in the future to revise the agreement if necessary.
Mediation is not about right or wrong. It is about working out problems and looking for possible solutions.