Benefits of Coaching Before, During and After Mediation
Pre-Mediation Coaching
Mediation, as any other legal process, requires preparedness. The process of engaging in mediation is one of working through difficult discussions with the help of the mediator, a neutral third party. It is one where, if successful, parties are able to come together to create mutually beneficial agreements.
Every person processes conflict differently. Possible reasons that one might seek pre or intra mediation coaching are as follow:
- Gaining a clearer understanding of the mediation process;
- Seeking to work though the emotional overwhelm that is holding you back from discussing future circumstances;
- Increasing openness to others’ wants, needs, ideas;
- Expanding one’s ability to generate creative proposals;
- Learning to speak up, self-advocate and communicate effectively;
- Clarifying what options or alternatives to mediation you might wish to consider;
- Empowering oneself as a negotiator;
- Organizing your mediation related paperwork
As your coach, I will ensure that you have a clear understanding of the mediation process. I will offer you tools to help you communicate more effectively and articulately. We will practice role plays to assist you in self-advocacy. 
I will explore with you what options you might wish to consider should the mediation not succeed. We will explore ideas for creative proposals you might offer throughout the mediation. Most importantly, pre-mediation coaching is about empowering clients to succeed in working toward a common goal with their negotiation partner in order to achieve mutually beneficial results.
Intra-Mediation Coaching
As with pre-mediation coaching, intra-mediation coaching is about increasing clients’ preparedness to effectively work through the mediation process. It is common for one or both mediation parties to hit roadblocks from time to time. These can be caused by any sort of exhaustion, whether emotional, creative, financial or otherwise. Perhaps you’d like to better understand the reason you feel your needs aren’t being heard. You may feel that you’ve exhausted all your options but aren’t ready to head to court. Maybe you’re struggling to separate your emotions from the issues on the table. Intra-mediation coaching offers you the opportunity to step back, check your course and head back into the mediation process re-energized to tackle a common goal.
Post-Mediation Coaching
Post-mediation coaching is all about maintaining the agreements you’ve crafted so diligently. Too often clients walk away from mediation, agreement in hand and then slowly slide away from the structure into which they’ve put so many resources, thought and time. Through the process of post-mediation coaching I will assist you in:
- Transitioning into your newly crafted arrangements;
- Maintaining the terms of your agreement;
- Reassessing terms of your agreement as life circumstances evolve;
- Strengthening relationships and communication with the other party to the mediation;
- Navigating possible need to return to mediation
Interested in further information or setting up a free consultation? Contact us.
