Mediation
Conflict is Normal! Mediators can help.
Conflict is a normal part of life. Whether it involves family members, neighbors, coworkers, organizations, or others in the community, conflict can be stressful and difficult to navigate alone.
About Mediation
Mediation provides a confidential, voluntary, and non-judgmental space for people to talk through concerns, understand one another more clearly, and work toward collaborative decisions. Mediators guide the conversation, but you decide what you want to talk about.
The services we provide are radically non-judgmental. Regardless of what’s going on, our job is to listen, work on understanding, help each person identify what’s important to them, and walk you through a collaborative process to see if you are able to reach an agreement or make a plan that works for everyone.
Mediators will not tell you what to do, give advice, or decide who is right or wrong. Our job is to facilitate the conflict resolution process, but you make all the decisions.
Mediation can help people address disagreements, improve communication, make plans to move forward, and, when possible, preserve important relationships. We schedule mediation in 2-hour sessions. Sometimes one session is enough, and sometimes the participants decide to have more sessions. This is your decision.
Still have questions about the process of mediation? You can learn more about mediation on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage. In addition, you can contact our Community Mediation Coordinator to talk about a conflict you’re experiencing now, or to learn more in general.
I appreciated the opportunity to have a neutral party help us through these issues. The questions helped to guide us through what we needed to accomplish.
Mediation Participant
What to Expect
Mediation is Voluntary
Mediation is a voluntary process. Everyone who participates chooses to be there and can whether to stay.
Any decisions you make are fully up to you. The mediator’s role is to guide the conversation and support communication, not to pressure anyone into reaching an agreement.
Many people appreciate mediation because it allows them to explore options, ask questions, and think through possible solutions without giving up control over the outcome. If an agreement is reached, it is because the participants decided it was the right path forward.
Mediation is Confidential
Mediation is confidential. Participants can speak openly, knowing that the mediator will not share information discussed during the mediation with anyone outside the process, including the court.
Confidentiality helps create an environment where people can have honest conversations about difficult topics. Whether the conflict involves family members, neighbors, coworkers, community groups, or organizations, mediation provides a space where people can focus on solving problems rather than worrying about their conversations being shared.
There are a few exceptions to confidentiality. As required by law, mediators must report concerns involving child abuse, elder abuse, or threats to public safety. Outside of these limited circumstances, information shared during mediation remains confidential.
Mediation is Non-Judgmental
Mediators believe that you know what’s best for you, your family, your neighborhood, and your organization. The mediator does not decide who is right or wrong, give advice, or make judgments about the conflict. You can say whatever you want to say, however you want to say it. Mediators don’t make rules about how you or the other person can communicate.
Instead, the mediator helps participants talk through the conflict, identify concerns, clarify misunderstandings, and explore possible solutions. The mediator will ask questions, summarize what they are hearing, and help participants figure out what topics they want to address.
How the Mediation Process Works
The mediator begins by explaining the process and answering any questions participants may have. Each person is then invited to share what brought them to mediation and what they want to talk about.
The mediators work to understand the situation, what’s important to each person, and which topics they want to address through mediation or make decisions about.
If participants come to an agreement or make a plan, the mediators can help put it in writing. Sometimes people aren’t looking for a concrete plan, and mediation can still help them better understand each other or make progress on topics that have been stuck.
Our Mediation Services
Community Mediation is FREE for conflicts in community members’ private lives, or when referred by the court. More than 90% of mediation is provided by trained volunteer mediators, who are members of the local community from a variety of backgrounds.
For other conflicts involving organizations, businesses, and large groups, our professional mediators can work with you. We charge reasonable rates that are often less than what you might find from private mediators.
Get In Touch
For more information about our mediation services, call (828) 251-6089 x214, e-mail communitymediation@mediatewnc.org, or contact us here:
The Mediation Center welcomes community members regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, family status, immigration status, history of incarceration, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.
About Community Mediation
Mediation
Conflict is Normal! Mediators can help.
Conflict is a normal part of life. Whether it involves family members, neighbors, coworkers, organizations, or others in the community, conflict can be stressful and difficult to navigate alone.
About Mediation
Mediation provides a confidential, voluntary, and non-judgmental space for people to talk through concerns, understand one another more clearly, and work toward collaborative decisions. Mediators guide the conversation, but you decide what you want to talk about.
The services we provide are radically non-judgmental. Regardless of what’s going on, our job is to listen, work on understanding, help each person identify what’s important to them, and walk you through a collaborative process to see if you are able to reach an agreement or make a plan that works for everyone.
Mediators will not tell you what to do, give advice, or decide who is right or wrong. Our job is to facilitate the conflict resolution process, but you make all the decisions.
Mediation can help people address disagreements, improve communication, make plans to move forward, and, when possible, preserve important relationships. We schedule mediation in 2-hour sessions. Sometimes one session is enough, and sometimes the participants decide to have more sessions. This is your decision.
Still have questions about the process of mediation? You can learn more about mediation on our Frequently Asked Questions webpage. In addition, you can contact our Community Mediation Coordinator to talk about a conflict you’re experiencing now, or to learn more in general.
What to Expect
Mediation is Voluntary
Mediation is a voluntary process. Everyone who participates chooses to be there and can whether to stay.
Any decisions you make are fully up to you. The mediator’s role is to guide the conversation and support communication, not to pressure anyone into reaching an agreement.
Many people appreciate mediation because it allows them to explore options, ask questions, and think through possible solutions without giving up control over the outcome. If an agreement is reached, it is because the participants decided it was the right path forward.
Mediation is Confidential
Mediation is confidential. Participants can speak openly, knowing that the mediator will not share information discussed during the mediation with anyone outside the process, including the court.
Confidentiality helps create an environment where people can have honest conversations about difficult topics. Whether the conflict involves family members, neighbors, coworkers, community groups, or organizations, mediation provides a space where people can focus on solving problems rather than worrying about their conversations being shared.
There are a few exceptions to confidentiality. As required by law, mediators must report concerns involving child abuse, elder abuse, or threats to public safety. Outside of these limited circumstances, information shared during mediation remains confidential.
Mediation is Non-Judgmental
Mediators believe that you know what’s best for you, your family, your neighborhood, and your organization. The mediator does not decide who is right or wrong, give advice, or make judgments about the conflict. You can say whatever you want to say, however you want to say it. Mediators don’t make rules about how you or the other person can communicate.
Instead, the mediator helps participants talk through the conflict, identify concerns, clarify misunderstandings, and explore possible solutions. The mediator will ask questions, summarize what they are hearing, and help participants figure out what topics they want to address.
How the Mediation Process Works
The mediator begins by explaining the process and answering any questions participants may have. Each person is then invited to share what brought them to mediation and what they want to talk about.
The mediators work to understand the situation, what’s important to each person, and which topics they want to address through mediation or make decisions about.
If participants come to an agreement or make a plan, the mediators can help put it in writing. Sometimes people aren’t looking for a concrete plan, and mediation can still help them better understand each other or make progress on topics that have been stuck.
Our Mediation Services
Community Mediation is FREE for conflicts in community members’ private lives, or when referred by the court. More than 90% of mediation is provided by trained volunteer mediators, who are members of the local community from a variety of backgrounds.
For other conflicts involving organizations, businesses, and large groups, our professional mediators can work with you. We charge reasonable rates that are often less than what you might find from private mediators.
Get In Touch
For more information about our mediation services, call (828) 251-6089 x214, e-mail communitymediation@mediatewnc.org, or contact us here:
The Mediation Center welcomes community members regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, family status, immigration status, history of incarceration, disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.