What is Mediation… and how do I connect it to Therapy?
My unique approach combines short-term therapy and mediation.
Mediation is part of what’s called Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)—approaches designed to help people resolve conflict without going to court.
I offer a nuanced approach to relationships and couples counseling: structured, neutral, and attuned to how people actually communicate, react, and make decisions. This combination allows me to guide conversations with clarity, reduce tensions effectively, and help clients resolve issues that are practical and compassionate. Is my approach a good fit for you? →
Clarity without court
“Clarity without court” means having a structured, respectful space to talk through differences and conflict, understand each other, and make informed decisions—without the cost, pressure, or adversarial nature of the legal system.
Mediation is typically offered by attorneys…
Mediation is typically offered by attorneys, court-connected programs, and often, community mediation centers. Lawyers tend to approach it from a legal and contractual perspective, while community mediators are not clinically trained to handle emotional or psychological behaviors effectively. Both lawyers and community mediators can be valuable, but they may not provide the depth needed when relationships, emotions, and long-term patterns are involved.
How is Mediation different from traditional Couples Counseling?
Mediation and traditional couples counseling serve different purposes, even though both involve conversation. Couples counseling focuses on healing, emotional patterns, and attachment—therapeutic, exploratory, and treatment-oriented. Mediation is structured, time-limited, and decision-focused. It focuses on the relationship between you in a non-clinical way. The overarching goal in mediation is to help you communicate clearly, solve specific problems, and reach workable agreements.
My approach blends short-term therapy with mediation: the best of both therapy and mediation.
How is your approach different from “Divorce Coaching”?
Divorce coaches emotionally support one person at a time. I work with both partners equally and together as a neutral, clinically trained professional who can safely hold conflict and guide you to real decisions. It’s a higher-level, outcome-focused process that coaches simply aren’t trained to offer.
A brief, practical history of Mediation
In the 1970s, Mediation emerged as a practical alternative to the adversarial legal process.
Mediation became part of family law, workplace conflict resolution, and relationship work because it proved to be efficient, respectful, and cost-effective.
Community mediation centers were the first to adopt it, offering neighbors, families, and couples a way to work through conflict without going to court. This continues to be viable route for some people.
Today, mediation is widely recognized as a structured, conversation-based process that helps people communicate more clearly and make informed decisions together. It sits between therapy and the legal system—focused, time-limited, and grounded in collaboration rather than judgment.
Key Organizations That Shape the Field
- Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) – A national organization for professional standards in mediation and conflict resolution.
- Academy of Professional Family Mediators (APFM) – The leading body for mediators working with couples, families, and co-parents.
- American Bar Association (ABA) – Dispute Resolution Section – Influential in developing ethical frameworks and court-connected mediation programs.
- Ohio Mediation Association (OMA) – A statewide network supporting training, ethics, and community practice in Ohio.
- Community Mediation Centers – Nonprofit organizations across the country that pioneer a different approach.
Essential Terms
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – A clear, written summary of agreements that parties can use on their own or share with an attorney.
- Neutrality – The mediator does not take sides or make decisions for the parties.
- Self-Determination – The people in the room—not the mediator—make all agreements.
- Confidentiality – Conversations in mediation stay within the process, with limited legal exceptions.
- Interest-Based Conversation – Exploring underlying needs and concerns rather than arguing positions.
- Facilitative Mediation – A widely used approach in which the mediator guides communication and supports constructive problem-solving.
Mediation offers a guided process for people to communicate their values and needs. Traditional therapy looks for deeper issues. My approach combines short-term therapy techniques with mediation in a unique way to provide both emotional relief and practical resolution.