Jeannette Twomey | Mediate Virginia

Mediation Resolves Family Elder Issues

October 1, 2015October 1, 2015 by Jeannette Twomey

“Why can’t my children just get along?”, pleaded Mr. Rodriguez. The frail, 84 year old widower, sounded weary and discouraged as he waited for the family meeting with his three adult children to begin. He was in a rehab center recovering from a serious fall. His children had been arguing for days about where he … Read more…

Mediation is negotiation assisted by a neutral third party. It cures many of the complaints about one-on-one arguments and about litigating in court. It is an informal process that focuses on practical problem-solving and joint decision-making - not on proof and victory. The mediator organizes the discussion, keeps it on track, and sets the tone for improved communication and negotiation styles. Mediation offers clients a safe, private forum for understanding the people and the problem, gathering information needed for informed decisions, exploring a range of options, and jointly choosing workable solutions. The mediation process avoids emotional hijacking and enables respectful, productive discussion of sensitive topics, such as divorce, workplace conflict, and family aging issues.

Conflict coaching is for clients who want to learn more constructive approaches for talking directly to a person with opposing views. One-on-one coaching helps individuals clarify their goals in a difficult conversation and develop speaking and listening skills that help achieve positive outcomes. Clients become aware of their own conversation habits that sabotage attempts to resolve conflict. They learn tips for addressing sensitive topics with greater confidence. Examples of topics where conflict coaching has been useful include discussing irritating behavior with a co-worker, negotiating modification of a parenting plan after divorce, and engaging older parents on the subject of safe driving. Coaching sessions are generally one hour in length and are conducted by telephone or video chat.