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13 Mediation Q. 179 (1995-1996)
Practice guidelines for co-mediation: Making certain that two heads are better than one

handle is hein.journals/cfltrq13 and id is 183 raw text is: Practice Guidelines for Co-Mediation: Making Certain That Two Heads Are Better Than One Lela P Love, Joseph B. Stulberg Co-mediation can either enhance or diminish the effectiveness of the media- tion process. This article outlines advantages and disadvantages of co- mediation and proposes guidelines for co-mediators to enable maximizing the potential of a co-mediation team. The difficult and delicate nature of a mediator's job argues both for and against a team approach for mediators. Where co-mediators operate in synch with one another, have the same vision of the mediation process and its goals, and have a plan that maximizes the strengths of the mediation team, their combined tal- ents increase their capacity to respond to the myriad challenges they will face. However, when either mediator feels disrespected or underutilized in the medi- ation, the mediators have different visions of the goals of the process, or the mediators have no plan for or understanding of their tasks and roles vis-a-vis each other, co-mediators can be worse than a solo mediator, as the difficult and delicate task of trying to harmonize a dysfunctional or unprepared team is added to the usual challenges that mediators face. Co-mediation has been routinely used in a variety of program and case sit- uations. For example, in some programs, training needs and quality control make co-mediation advisable. Less experienced apprentice mediators are paired with more experienced mentor mediators, both to provide further training for the apprentice mediator and to ensure that disputants are well served. In some case situations, such as divorce proceedings, an attorney and a mental health professional and a male and female are recommended as the mediator team in order to address the legal and psychological complexities of such matters. Note: The practice guidelines described in this article were originally developed for and are based on the co-mediation guidelines in Stulberg and Love, 1994. 179 MEDIATION QUARTERLY, Vol. 13, no. 3, Spring 1996 0 Jossey-Bass Publishers