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Mediation Techniques to Expect in Your Session

Thursday, March, 24, 2011


As you prepare for your mediation session, it makes sense to familiarize yourself with the process and what might take place. Mediation attorneys have certain techniques that they will use to make the situation go as well as possible. These mediation techniques are important to the process, and you would be wise to understand how they can work in your favor. Here are some mediation techniques to expect as you enter any mediation session.

Probing, open-ended questions
You should go into the process expecting to talk about your feelings and your concerns. The mediation attorney will likely ask probing, exploratory questions and they will want you to provide expansive thoughts if possible. You won't be getting a lot of yes and no questions, so prepare yourself to do some communicating.

Active listening
The role of the mediation attorney is not to tell you what the best plan is. They are much more apt to get you and the other side to describe your goals. Then, the mediation attorney will guide you in the right direction if at all possible. Don't expect mediation techniques that pigeon hole you or force you into one topic of discussion. The proceeding will likely be very open and your thoughts will drive the action.

Other techniques will include repeating statements to hammer home points and a lot of "check out" questions so that the mediation attorney knows he is on the right track. If you are in need of a mediation proceeding, then you should contact one of the many skilled attorneys in your area. You might also continue to read on this site, as that can educate you further.