What is Transformative Mediation?
There are many styles of mediation.
When you are considering mediation, it is helpful to think about what style of mediation will be the most effective for you and for the situation you are in.
Some styles of mediation are driven by evaluating specific outcomes and others are more about gaining understanding and learning to communicate more effectively.
Kelly and I offer a hybrid style of mediation. Our style of mediation is a blend of Preventative, Informative and Transformative Mediation.
Transformative Mediation, defined in the 1994 book, The Promise of Mediation by Robert A. Baruch Bush and Joseph Folger, is an approach to mediation that aims to transform the parties involved by teaching them to recognize one another's needs and by helping them to become better communicators. Transformative Mediation focuses on empowering participants to come up with their own resolutions to their disputes.
Kelly and I choose to practice Transformative Mediation because we work primarily with couples and families. In situations where there are difficulties between partners, they often need to have a cooperative relationship moving forward, whether they want to maintain their romantic involvement or not. This is especially true of couples with children, but even couples without children may need to be amicable after dissolving their romantic relationship.
By engaging in a mediation process influenced by Bush and Folger's Transformative Theory, participants gain the skills they need to come to agreements and avoid future conflicts. Participants are transforming their conflict, learning to understand each other and how to communicate in a productive way.
In Transformative Mediation, the goal is not to reach a settlement. The goal is to better understand each other and reaching an agreement is a positive side effect of the process.
When Kelly and I mediate, we use the Transformative Theory and infuse it with information. We want you to be fully informed when considering your options. If you are married and want to separate and eventually divorce, using our mediation services will provide you with all the information you will need to move through the process and work toward an amicable divorce.
Another component of our mediation style, is prevention. We want you to move through the mediation process learning the skills you need to prevent future disputes with your partner or former partner and empower you to resolve your conflicts constructively.
For more information about how Kelly and I mediate and to book services with us, please email:
References
The Promise of Mediation, Robert A. Baruch Bush and Joseph Folger
Choices in Approaching Conflict, Charles Ewert, Gordon Barnard, Jennifer Laffier, Michael L. Maynard
Transformative Mediation, Brad Spangler, https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/transformative_mediation
Types of Mediation: Choose the Type Best Suited to Your Conflict, Katie Shonk, https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/mediation/types-mediation-choose-type-best-suited-conflict/