Conflict is a natural part of life. Managed correctly, conflict can positively transform lives and relationships. Mediators are trained to understand the source of conflicts and identify a path away from adversarial positions toward positive growth and change. Mediators create a safe space to have difficult conversations.
We are pleased to announce that we have engaged Dr. Clare Fowler and Mediate.com to bring our Providers the resources, training opportunities, and best practices for them to create a solid mediation practice (effectively adding a new revenue stream for their Peaceful Divorce Business).
This month, we were fortunate to have Dr. Fowler join our Divorce With Dignity (DWD) Monthly Provider Meeting to talk about how the mediation industry is doing, how it’s changing, and how we can make the most of today’s circumstances and ample tools available in the online space. In this training, she focused the discussion on Mediating Family & Divorce Agreements — including best-practice techniques for online mediation, advanced resolution tactics, and the psychology of conflict-online and face-to-face.
As a seasoned mediator, who specializes in resolving disputes in small- to medium-sized businesses, Dr. Fowler has much experience training individuals and companies to resolve and prevent conflict.
She talked to our Providers about how COVID restrictions have brought many more people into the online meeting environment and what this has meant for both the mediators and their clients.
Is it all bad?? Definitely not.
She explained how this new environment has actually given both mediators and clients tremendous opportunities for better connection, stronger communication, and shorter, more manageable sessions. Further, she noted that mediation practices used to take five to six years to become well-established, but in this past year, it is only taking only about five to six months (on average). That is good news for legal professionals who have been considering getting involved in mediation and offers them the ability to meet the growing demand for certified or licensed mediators.
Also, thanks to password protection, encryption, and other protection methods and tools, it seems that people have grown more comfortable meeting and communicating online, being more emotional and vulnerable online, and even signing sensitive documents online. Many even prefer meeting for mediation sessions online vs. in person because the sessions seem to be far more productive and introduce far less distractions (vs. in-person mediation). Perhaps most importantly, clients can schedule shorter sessions around their work schedule, or their children’s naps, meal times, or after they’ve gone to bed — or just take advantage of the ability to regroup, refresh, and reenergize between shorter sessions. (And shorter sessions are much easier to coordinate!)
If you’re thinking about becoming a mediator, you should know that, although there are no licensing or certification requirements in most states to serve as a mediator (outside of state-funded programs), entering into mediation without proper training or a support system can be risky, isolating, and draining. And, despite the absence of a formal requirement, many seasoned mediators (like Dr. Fowler) and states (like California) strongly recommend that potential mediators complete at least a basic, 40-hour training program.
DWD Providers can take full advantage of the opportunities to get guidance around the training process from their fellow DWD mediators, network and share trusted partners, receive encouragement and motivation, share best practices, and avoid getting “stagnant.” And, since mediation is a natural extension of the amicable divorce and related services they already offer clients, they can offer a more holistic suite of services, in house, which is a better experience for their clients.
If you’re not really sure exactly what it is that mediators do, Dr. Fowler summarized the role they play pretty simply: “Mediators are the trusted ‘flight attendants’ for the conflict resolution process. We keep people feeling safe, calm, and moving forward.”
If you’ve been thinking of joining our ever-expanding network of Peaceful Divorce Providers (and/or want to learn more about the opportunities available for DWD mediators), get started by scheduling your Complimentary Discovery Session with our Founder, Cindy Elwell. You can rest assured that your questions will be answered and that you will not be pressured into any decisions.
About Our Partner at Mediate.com, Dr. Clare Fowler
Dr. Fowler’s focus is on Workplace Mediation. She specializes in resolving disputes in small- to medium-sized businesses. She also trains individuals and companies to resolve and prevent conflict. The details of her certified, 40-hour Basic Mediation Training can be found at www.ClareFowler.com.
Dr. Fowler is the president of Fowler Mediation and a professor at the University of Oregon’s School of Law Conflict Resolution Program in addition to a practicing workplace mediator and staff member at Mediate.com. She enjoys doing workplace mediation as well as helping others get established in this great field.
You can contact Dr. Fowler at cfowler@mediate.com or find more information on her website.
The author of this blog is not an attorney or financial advisor and the information contained in these blogs should not be considered legal or financial advice. Please do not hesitate to seek the advice of an attorney or financial advisor if you have any legal or financial questions.
