The parties and a professional mediator meet in an informal setting to determine the most effective means of resolving a dispute.

During mediation, both parties will have the opportunity to be heard as they share their individual needs, interests, goals, and objectives.

The mediator will help identify and clarify issues, help create options for solving them, discard options that don’t meet the needs of the parties, and engage in negotiations and joint problem solving to craft a workable agreement.

While the mediator facilitates the process, the final decisions belong to the parties. This “teamwork” approach creates a mutual vested interest in the agreement, which helps avoid disputes in the future. It is also the best mechanism to restore the relationship of the parties, and bring reconciliation and healing to the lives of everyone affected by the dispute.