ABSTRACT
At the start of our training seminars we ask people what mediation means to them. It is an easy question because everyone has a view: standing in the middle; seeking compromise; problem-solving; negotiation; listening; holding the space; and so the list goes on. The list usually includes some ‘being’ words; being impartial; being nonjudgemental, for example, and for me it is in the being that the essence of mediation lies. Certainly mediators need a range of specific and technical skills, but I would describe the primary skill of mediation as creating a reflective space.
