Intake
After the initial intake call, you can expect the lead mediator to make contact with you. He/she will then make contact with all involved parties, setting up individual interview appointments.
Interviews
The lead mediator will interview each party individually in a meeting that normally lasts between 45 minutes and 90 minutes.
During the interview, the mediator will ask each party about:
+ His/her context/background/history in the relationship
+ His/her perspective of the conflict, i.e. what it is about, who is involved, when did it begin, etc.
+ Specific examples or stories that highlight the conflict
+ What has been done in the past to attempt to address the conflict
+ The hopes or goals for the situation and/or relationship, what a functioning, healthy working relationship would look like
+ What needs to happen from his/her perspective to work toward the desired outcome
+ His/her willingness to engage honestly and openly with the other party through facilitated joint sessions
During the interview, the mediator will explain:
+ Confidentiality
+ The role of the mediators
+ What to expect during the joint sessions/mediations
+ Timelines re: moving through the process
Joint Sessions
You can expect an average mediation process to take up to 3 joint sessions, each session being up to 2 hours in length. A co-mediator joins the lead mediator for the facilitation of the joint conversations.
The first 2 sessions are generally spent talking about the conflict and what has contributed toward the tension in the relationship. Each party will be asked to share examples or stories from the conflict, including the impacts of the actions of the other person. The other person will be asked to share their motivations or intentions. Building understanding between the parties in conflict is the main goal of the first joint sessions.
The final joint session/s look toward the future. What needs to happen to move past the conflict and improve the situation and/or working relationship? Clarity around what each party needs and what each party can offer the other becomes the foundation for a Memorandum of Understanding that is drafted by the mediators after the final session. Issues around confidentiality are again revisited and agreed upon.