When you contact us, one of our staff will take some basic information about your conflict and explain how we work. All information you provide is confidential and will not be shared with the person or people with whom you are in conflict. If you decide to try mediation, we will contact the people you are in conflict with to see if they are willing to join the mediation.
When the other party agrees to participate, we will assign two or more mediators to work with you. These co-mediators act as neutral third parties and do not take sides in the dispute, provide legal advice or assign blame. Their job is to help everyone understand the situation and develop an agreement. Mediators do not solve the problem for you, rather they help everyone involved in the conflict sit down and work out a solution together.
The mediators will meet with each person separately so they can explain their view of the conflict, as well as their own concerns and needs. Mediators will also prepare each person for the mediation process by explaining how to more effectively communicate during the mediation session.
At mediation, everyone will meet together with the mediators. During the mediation, they ensure that communication remains respectful and productive throughout the process and that all parties are heard and understood. They also guide the participants to ensure that the particpants develop the solution themselves.
There are three stages to the mediation itself:
Once an agreement is reached, the mediators will contact you within a few weeks to check in. If the agreement does not seem to be working, another mediation meeting can be set to review the agreement.