What is Mediation?
Mediation is an alternative way to resolve disputes between individuals or groups of people. Mediation is often suggested and/or ordered by judges prior to a court date as a way of offering the parties a way to work through their concerns before a judge is forced to intervene and order a particular outcome which may not be agreeable to either party.

Open Dialogue practices a transformative model of mediation. In this model, the mediator helps and supports the parties to have the difficult conversation they wish to have. The mediator does not lead the parties toward a pre-determined solution, but rather encourages the parties to find solutions that work for them. As a result, the parties are more likely to uphold the agreements reached and are oftentimes able to maintain a working relationship afterward. Parties often comment how respectful and empowering the process can be compared to litigation or more traditional forms of mediation.

The transformative model of mediation is used exclusively by the United States Postal Service REDRESS Department for resolving employee concerns. Between 1994 and 2005 the U.S. Postal Service had used the transformative model over 60,000 times successfully.

Within other cultures and circumstances, there are many variances on the mediation process, including restorative justice, spiritually guided and community-involved processes, along with hybrid procedures. If you are interested in learning more about these, please contact Open Dialogue with your desires and for more information. (Click here)

Please note:  All mediation and arbitration sessions are scheduled in current Minnesota (CST) time.  Please use this time zone calculator to determine the exact time in YOUR location.

• How To Arrange For An In-Person Mediation Session
  Ms. Ronnie Howell is available for in-person mediation sessions. If you’d like to arrange for an in-person mediation, please click here or call 763.234.5554.
• Pre-Mediation Clarity
  Sometimes it helps for a party to invest time to clarify their position with a trained listener prior to engaging in mediation. Working through potential solutions that might be acceptable to you, understanding what matters most and being able to express your position succinctly are all quite helpful in obtaining a successful resolution. To arrange for a pre-mediation session, please click here or call 763.234.5554