How Mediation WorksMediation is a voluntary, confidential, process in which a third party, the mediator, assists you and others involved in having a conversation about how to address the issues between you.
As the mediator supports your conversation, you may better understand what's going on for you as well as a clearer understanding of what's going on for the other person. The information and perspectives that are shared can help you figure out next steps while often reaching agreements on some or all of the issues involved. Most mediations begin when one person involved calls CDRC for help. A CDRC staff person describes the mediation process and timeline, answers your questions and gets basic information about the situation from your perspective. Then CDRC will ask for the names and contact information for others who are involved in order to contact them directly. Not all parties involved need to agree to mediate before CDRC is contacted. After one person has contacted the agency, staff will reach out to others involved encouraging them to give mediation a try. Once folks have agreed, staff schedule a mediation session at a time and date convenient for all. Two hours are set aside for the mediation, with the option of scheduling another session if needed. During the mediation, mediators will support you having the kind of conversation you want to have. You will decide what to talk about, what guidelines, if any, to establish, and whether or not there are agreements to be made. If you reach an agreement, you'll decide whether or not to write it down. So, if you're having trouble talking things through or working things out, contact us to explore mediation as an option. Remember, there is no cost to you to have a conversation. Depending on the case, administration fees may be assessed for creating paperwork or filing an agreement in a court. |
The following is just a short list of all the people who have benefited from mediation:
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