Mediation Services: Frequently Asked Questions

Beyond the preparation and coaching programs The SAMI Group is known for, direct mediation services are also available, facilitated as an Accredited Mediator. This is the most common set of questions I hear from people trying to figure out if this is the right next step for their situation.

What Mediation Services Does SAMI Group Offer?

Direct, neutral mediation for disputes including family conflict, co-parenting communication, business and property disagreements, and other civil matters. This is separate from Mediation Readiness Training, which prepares someone for a mediation, this is the mediation itself, facilitated directly.

How Is This Different From Mediation Readiness Training?

These are two different services entirely. Mediation Readiness Training prepares an individual party for a mediation they're entering, wherever it's held and whoever is facilitating it. Direct mediation services mean acting as the neutral third party facilitating the negotiation between both sides of a dispute. Some clients use Readiness Training to prepare for mediation with a different mediator; others come directly for facilitated mediation.

What Background Does the Mediator Bring to the Table?

Mediation here is grounded in more than two decades of behavioral consulting experience, in addition to formal mediation training and ongoing legal studies. That combination means sessions are shaped not just by mediation process, but by an understanding of the behavioral patterns, triggers, and communication dynamics that are often what's actually driving a dispute beneath the surface issue.

What Kinds of Disputes Can Be Mediated?

Family conflict, including sibling and extended family disputes, co-parenting communication issues outside of formal custody proceedings, business and property disagreements, and other civil disputes where both parties are willing to negotiate in good faith. Reach out to discuss whether your specific situation is a good fit.

What Does a Session Actually Involve?

Sessions follow a structured process: an opening explaining confidentiality and ground rules, each side sharing their perspective, identifying the real issues underneath the presenting dispute, collaborative option-building, and, when the parties reach terms, help putting the agreement in writing for review by each party's attorney.

Is Mediation Confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is a foundational part of how mediation works and is explained clearly at the start of every session.

Do I Need My Own Attorney?

It's strongly recommended. A mediator is neutral and doesn't represent either party, so independent legal counsel reviewing your position and any proposed agreement protects your individual interests. This is true regardless of who's facilitating the mediation.

How Much Does Mediation Cost?

Mediation starts at $350 per hour. The total time commitment depends on the complexity of your dispute, so the most accurate way to get a full estimate for your situation is to schedule a Telephone Consultation, where your case can be discussed directly.

How Do I Get Started?

A Telephone Consultation is the best first step. It's a 30-minute call to understand your situation and confirm whether mediation, and this mediator specifically, is the right fit before scheduling anything further.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is mediation legally binding? Yes, once an agreement is reached, signed, and typically reviewed by each party's attorney, it carries the same legal weight as a court-ordered resolution.

What happens if mediation doesn't resolve our dispute? Parties generally retain the right to pursue litigation. Mediation doesn't waive that option unless specifically agreed otherwise.

Can both parties choose this mediator together? Yes. Most private mediation begins with both parties agreeing on the mediator before scheduling sessions.

Is mediation appropriate for every dispute? No. Mediation depends on both parties being willing and able to negotiate in reasonably good faith. It isn't appropriate for situations involving an ongoing safety risk or a serious power imbalance.

How This Helps

Mediation works best when the person facilitating it understands not just the process, but the behavior driving the conflict in the first place. That's the lens this service is built on: helping two people in conflict find their way to an agreement they can both live with, informed by decades of experience reading exactly what's happening beneath the surface.

Schedule a Consultation to discuss your situation.