Mediation is, by its nature, a reflective profession. It asks practitioners to hold space for others, to manage complexity, and to navigate human conflict with care, neutrality, and discipline. Yet, for all its collaborative ethos, mediation itself can often be a surprisingly solitary pursuit, especially since covid and the move to online mediation.
Over the years, I have been fortunate to benefit from excellent conversations with other mediators and these have led me to have moments of honest reflection, shared uncertainty, and practical insight that have shaped my own development. Those conversations have been some of the most valuable learning experiences in my career.
Why I created The Mediation Room
The Mediation Room was created, quite simply, as a way of giving something back. I was not aware of a dedicated, private professional space where mediators can speak openly with one another across different areas of practice.
Today, the mediation landscape is evolving quickly. Expectations are shifting, pressures are increasing, and new challenges are emerging across family, civil, workplace, and community mediation. There is a growing need for practitioners to be able to share insight, test thinking, and learn from one another in real time.
My background as a qualified teacher has also influenced this approach. In education, there is a strong culture of sharing good practice, observing, reflecting, and learning collectively. That kind of professional dialogue strengthens both individuals and the wider field. I wanted to bring something of that into mediation.
The Mediation Room is my attempt to create that environment.
A professional space for all mediators
The Mediation Room is a free, online forum designed for mediators across all sectors. Its purpose is to provide a dedicated environment where practitioners can:
There is no commercial model behind it. I developed the online forum independently as a contribution to the profession, with no ulterior motive beyond supporting practitioners and strengthening the mediation community.
What the forum offers
Within the platform, mediators can engage in:
The forum welcomes mediators working in:
Moderated discussion threads help maintain a professional tone while encouraging thoughtful and constructive exchange.
A shared knowledge base
Over time, I hope the forum will develop into a shared knowledge base. I would like it to become a place where insight, experience, and good practice are captured and made accessible to others.
For those entering the profession, this can help bridge the gap between training and real-world practice. For more experienced mediators, it offers an opportunity to contribute to the development of others and to remain engaged in reflective dialogue.
A community, not a platform
Participation is entirely voluntary. There is no cost to join, and mediators can engage as much or as little as they wish.
My invitation to you, my fellow mediator
Mediators from across all areas of practice are warmly invited to join.
Join the forum: www.mediationroom.org
When they represent clients, advocates may be compared to gladiators doing battle with logic instead of a lance, statutes instead of swords, and rhetoric instead of physical force. Successful litigators...
By Gregg Relyea, Roy ChengJoan Kelly describes how mediation can be a protective factor for children in the divorce process. If parents can engage in and deal with conflict without involving their children, the...
By Joan B. Kelly, Ph.D.I was at a concert of the LA Philharmonic one recent Sunday afternoon to hear some ballet music, including Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite.” I love the ballet set to this piece and...
By Maria Simpson
