Within every conflict is the opportunity to build greater trust and create a stronger peace amongst the participants. Too often, we miss these opportunities by either ignoring conflicts, escalating them into group battles, or taking them into legal arenas where we surrender our creative and collaborative power to a judge.

Mediation is a holistic conflict resolution process which honors the participants as whole people whose feelings and interests are worthy of consideration and respect. Mediation not only addresses any substantive issues, but also facilitates a deeper discussion about and understanding of who we are, how we feel, and how we function in groups.

Mediated solutions often feel more just and fair than those solutions arrived at through other means. Parties tend to complete mediation with a greater respect and deeper trust in themselves and each other and an enhanced sense of optimism and empowerment about their ability to face and transform future conflicts.

As a mediator, I act as a neutral guide assisting participants in respectfully communicating their feelings, issues, needs and concerns. We work together to craft solutions that best meet everyone’s needs.

Why Mediate?

When we attempt to ignore conflict, relationships suffer, resentments build, trust decreases, and group effectiveness declines. Often, we don’t truly ignore the conflict, but rather choose to share it with everyone in our environment except the person or people with whom we feel the tension. This creates unnecessary battles and camps within families and organizations. Our needs and interests remain unmet, neither fully shared nor explored . Day by day, we bring less of our full selves to these unresolved conflict areas. When we absent our spirits in this way, everyone involved is diminished.

Our full and creative participation in all of our endeavors is essential for our happiness and spiritual evolution!

Legal arenas are often described grimly as win/lose. In my experience mediating in small claims court, it’s even worse than that. Many cases that fail to reach a mediated solution and go before a judge end up as lose/lose. Judges are under no obligation to satisfy anyone but the law.

As a people growing ever stronger in the knowledge that we are all connected, we can no longer afford to attempt to resolve conflicts by creating winners and losers. No one wins when anyone loses; we are all part of a greater whole!

Conflicts often involve three key areas: relationships, procedures, and the substance of the dispute. Courts commonly focus on substantive evidence of wrongdoing and procedural technicalities, often leaving participants feeling that an issue has not been humanely addressed and justice has not been served.

Lasting solutions positively address the needs and interests of all involved parties! Participants walk away from mediation with their dignity intact, having reached an agreement they can live with.