Mediation has been around as long as humans have in one form or another.

 

It is, in essence, an outside party helping two or more parties to resolve their differences. Historically, community elders would help to resolve disputes among those in their community, and parents have no doubt always resolved conflicts among their children.

 

But today, we live in a world where more gets done because of specialization, and the area of mediation is no exception. Now there are mediation experts who draw on the knowledge of many fields to help with personal, business, and community mediation. They bring together knowledge from many academic disciplines, as well as raw experience and sharp instinct, to help others work through their problems in a way that's productive for everyone involved.

 

Mediation is different than arbitration or litigation because:

 

• Both parties enter into it voluntarily.
• It is less formal.
• It does not impose solutions, but helps all parties create their own solutions.

 

Because of these differences, there is generally much more flexibility in the mediation approach -- for instance, while most mediation takes place with all parties present, sometimes the mediator will meet privately with each party and perhaps even carry messages between them. These private meetings are called caucuses. These can be a useful tool for the skilled mediator.

 

Who Can Benefit?

Any two or more parties can benefit from mediation. At The Doing, we work with individuals (parents and children; spouses; in-laws; etc.) and communities (local governments and groups of citizens, for instance). But mediation can help in business and international settings as well.

 

Click here to learn more about how the mediation process works.