NEUTRALITY: The policy of not taking sides in a dispute. A mediator does not fight for either side. A mediator facilitates a conversation towards agreement between all parities.

CONFIDENTIALITY: A duty to keep all information private, safe, and secure. A mediator will not share your information outside of the mediation room.

A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT: A space or setting that makes a person feel relaxed, safe, and free from stress. The mediators at The Mediation House are not attorneys, and there are no judges, courtrooms, forced agendas, or attorneys who push the opposition down in an effort to “win.” We are mediators who believe a calm, honest, moral discussion is the pathway to agreement.

CREATIVITY: The mental ability to use imagination to create original ideas and solutions. At The Mediation House, we believe in crafting agreements that go beyond strict, rigid positions and templates set forth for all cases in a courtroom. “No one wins in my courtroom,” a judge once said. In mediation, both parties decide. The Mediation House believes in using creativity to design solutions based on the parties’ shared interests moving forward, rather than assigning blame and assumptions for past actions.

LASER-BEAM FOCUS: Clear objectives, thorough preparation, attention to detail, a good listening ear, and an unbendable, open mindset. In the wrong room, productive conversation can crumble quickly. Our mediators are equipped with a tool belt that builds the agreement, from blueprint to finished product, and keeps the framework intact throughout.

While we are fully dedicated to delivering and supporting you at every step, a successful partnership works best when we both know what is needed to keep the momentum going. To make sure we hit our goals together, we rely on a few key inputs from you:

• an open mind to mediate;

• the discipline to remain in control;

• a focus on interests;

• an active listening ear;

• thinking outside of the box;

• a mindset of negotiating like a Samaritan: “What happens to me if I give in” vs “What happens to the other person if I don’t help to fill the gap,” and the middle ground that falls between.

THE MEDIATION HOUSE