..:: Iowa Mediation Service Inc ::..

What
is
Mediation?

Why
Does
Mediation
Work?

How
Does
Mediation
Work?

Although a certain amount of conflict occurs in our lives, few of us are very comfortable with it. We've been taught that "conflict is bad" and so our inclination is to avoid it, do nothing, and hope it goes away. If conflict intenifies, we pay lawyers and the courts to proclaim us either a "winner" or "loser."

At the Iowa Mediation Service, we believe there is another alternative: mediation. Mediation occurs when a neutral third-party assists two or more people in working through their conflicts. Costs are minimal; risks are low. The goal of the process is to find solutions, not lay blame.

Give us a try. You have little to lose. And you may gain a lot.

Neither party is blamed
Participants create and are responsible for their own agreements.
Each party negotiates the changes necessary to resolve the conflict.
Participants are responsible for the implementation of the outcome.
Feelings, facts, and behaviors are considered and communicated with the help of a trained, neutral mediator.
All information about the case is kept confidential.

Remember: Preparation makes mediation work.

Trained mediators listen carefully to both sides. They:
Create a safe environment that allows parties to interact.

Clarify points of agreement and disagreement.

Help identify new options.

Define the facts of the conflict and the emotions associated with those facts.

Structure the communications between the parties.

Draw up a tentative agreement between the parties.

Fees: Each attending party is charged an hourly fee on a sliding scale.