ABSTRACT
Value-centered mediation (VCM) builds upon previous models while integrating scientific frameworks and the Logotherapy of Viktor Frankl. Mediation in its basic form is a dispute resolution process in which an impartial third party endeavors to empower the disputants to find a resolution to the dispute. VCM is an integrated mediation model based upon the nature of conflict, the centrality of meaning and values, and how these drive the techniques and objectives of the mediation process. VCM uses reflective techniques to elicit the narratives, perspectives, and emotions of each party. A mediator using VCM would frame the process in ways that offer hope and the possibility of a respectful resolution, reinforcing the values of the process and emphasizing that any outcome will be the result of the parties' own creativity. Facilitating problem solving is the promotion of a neutral analytical process in which the parties weigh the variables that make up the conflict.
