What Is Mediation?

Put simply, “Mediation is a process for resolving disputes where an intermediary helps conflicting parties have a conversation to jointly resolve their concerns.” The Mediator’s Handbook, by Jennifer E. Beer and Caroline C. Packard (2012).

Now, let’s break it down even further:

What is an intermediary? The intermediary is your mediator. A neutral third party.

What does it mean to “have a conversation”? And why would you need to hire someone to help you do that? Well, if you’re considering mediation, chances are, you and your spouse, or the other parent, are having a hard time speaking to one another and finding a way to engage in a meaningful conversation in order to reach a solution to whatever issue you are dealing with.

Mediation is a place where both parties can sit down together, and a mediator can assist in facilitating a meaningful conversation between you and the other party and work towards a resolution that both parties feel comfortable with.

(c) 2019  Jennifer N. Laszlo