Where To Go For Help With Conflicts

A student in one of my mediation classes once did an informal survey of the public’s familiarity with mediation and where they got help with conflicts.  Many of the people she asked in lines of grocery stores and other public places did not have a clear idea of what mediation is. Some had experience with family court mediation for child custody and visitation, but had no experience beyond that. And there were those who said something like, “it’s where you close your eyes and clear your mind.”

Where then do these people go for help with conflicts and are those sources really helpful? Many said they didn’t seek out help until the conflict escalated and required law enforcement and attorneys to be involved.

Increasingly, more and more people are learning about mediation and are seeking help at dispute resolution centers. A recent article in the Detroit News profiled The Resolution Center in Mount Clemens, Michigan. In 2017, that center alone handled 3,100 cases. Interestingly, the number of those that were referrals from the courts had declined while the number of people coming directly to the center had increased. People bring a wide variety of disputes to the center from Small Claims, school-based and family matters, such as siblings disputing guardianship of a parent.

Most dispute resolution centers in the U.S., like those in Michigan, are staffed by volunteers and are free or low cost. Most disputes are resolved in one session. But when the opposite occurs, mediators don’t consider an unresolved dispute a failure as the parties involved in the process develop a better understanding of their interests, which can lead to a resolution in the near future.

So, where do you find such help? First go online for community dispute resolution centers which are usually pretty affordable. There are also mediators who work independently but charge a fee for their service. Some of these are listed on the website mediate.com. That website also has resource material on mediation that can be helpful.