There are many opportunities for conflict with a romantic partner in all stages of a relationship. Couples constantly have to negotiate important matters such as handling finances, division of household chores and child rearing issues. Often they seek couple's counseling to help them through rough spots.

Mediation is a different, more future oriented approach to resolve conflicts that arise in relationships. Not all conflicts require looking at your childhood or your previous relationships. A mediator helps the parties to communicate effectively and couples often learn how to use these communication techniques later on their own.

Raising children requires a lot of decision making. Getting different approaches to parenting work together is hard. Mediation offers a forum to discuss your ideas about parenting without blame and understand what matters to each parent.

Some family members not stepping up to the plate when it comes to helping the parents, someone trying to help too much, money issues... there is a lot going on between family members.

Mediation offers a safe place to talk about what you struggle with and develop different strategies for the future.

Divorce Mediation offers a chance to actively create what your life will look like after the final decree is signed. Leaving your divorce up to lawyers and judges may have unexpected and costly outcomes. With the help of a mediator you can work through the division of property, a mutually agreeable parenting plan and have a clear idea how you will approach future issues.

If you want to do your own divorce anyway, a mediator can help you through the paperwork so you will be able to submit a decree that is ready to be signed by a judge.

As long as children are minors, ex-spouses still face conflicts about parenting issues that can be mediated. What sports will the children play, should they get braces, which school is best? How long can each spouse go on a vacation with the children? With changing needs revisiting a parenting-plan every so often is a good idea.

 

Unmarried parents deal with all the same parenting issues as married parents and additional challenges to work out legal issues. Same-sex couples with children often have another set of obstacles.

Mediation can help you define everybody's responsibilities.

Friends are a great source of support, but sometimes things get in the way of even longtime friendships. When we care about a friend but we are hurt it can be challenging to try to mend the relationship.

In a mediation misunderstandings can be explained and friends can find ways to overcome the rift.

A lingering conflict with a co-worker can make the thought of going to work very stressful. Conflict at work causes

• Stress, frustration, and anxiety
• Loss of sleep
• Strained relationships
• Costly grievances and litigation
• Presenteeism (workers present but not productive)
• Employee turnover
• Loss of productivity
• Increased client complaints
• Absenteeism
• Sabotage
• Injury and accidents
• Disability claims
• Sick leave

Mediation for the work place can greatly reduce dissatisfaction and restore working relationships for the benefit of the company and the employees.

Tenant-landlord relationships can be quite complex and go beyond just a contractual obligation on both parts. Rental agreements may be interpreted in different ways by each party. Sometimes no contract was signed and everybody has a different recollection of the verbal agreement.

In mediation, tenants and landlords can explore their expectations and figure out how to come to a mutual understanding of each others obligations.

It happens frequently. A homeowner needs a repair or remodel. A contractor gives a verbal estimate and starts the job. Problems arise. The job gets more expensive, now what?

Mediation offers a forum for the parties to figure out how the situation can be remedied.

Barking dogs, car traffic, loud music, late night lawn mowing. Lots of things can interfere with good neighborly relationships. The earlier an effort is made to address issues the better. If you don't know how to approach your neighbor or your complaint hasn't been heard, suggesting a mediation may be what it takes to restore the peace in your neighborhood.

How to organise a fundraiser, a community event, making policy for the soccer games, all kinds of activities people engage in in their community can lead to conflict between individuals. As a result a whole organization may suffer.

Mediation with a neutral third party makes it easier to address the problems the conflicts are causing.