Six steps, and most matters finish in one session.

1. 1

   Free consult

   A 15-minute call. You tell us what is happening, we tell you plainly whether mediation fits. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to book.

2. 2

   Prepare privately

   Before the session, each of you has a short private conversation with the mediator. You say what matters to you without having to perform for anyone. The mediator listens for the needs under the words.

3. 3

   Meet by video

   One session, about two hours, from wherever each of you is comfortable. The mediator opens by explaining how the time will run, what stays private, and that either of you can pause or stop.

4. 4

   Stories and agenda

   Each person says what matters to them, uninterrupted. Then, together, you write the list of what needs solving. Naming the list is often the first moment the room gets calmer.

5. 5

   Work the options

   One item at a time. The mediator helps you generate options, test them against what each of you actually needs, and have a private conversation, called a caucus, whenever that helps things move.

6. 6

   Leave with an agreement

   What you decide is written up during the session and signed on the call. You leave with something real, in your own words, that you both chose.

What the mediator does, and does not do

The mediator stays neutral the whole way through. That means making sure each person is heard, keeping the conversation on what matters to each of you, and writing up what you agree to so it is clear. It also means not taking sides, not giving legal advice, not deciding the outcome, and not pushing either of you toward an agreement. The room belongs to both of you equally. There is more on this in the mediator's role.

How the empathy part works

The way the room runs comes from Nonviolent Communication. In plain terms, that means separating what happened from the story about it, naming how it landed, finding the need underneath, and asking for something specific. People who feel understood first are far more willing to problem-solve. That is the whole method, and it is why the private conversation before the session matters so much.

What you need

• A quiet room where you will not be overheard, and about two uninterrupted hours.
• A computer or phone with a camera and a steady connection.
• Any documents that matter: the lease, the operating agreement, the invoice, the texts. Have them handy, not memorized.
• A rough sense of what you need, not just what you want the other person to do. How to prepare walks through this.

What is private

Sessions are not recorded. A live transcript is used only to draft the agreement and is deleted once the agreement is signed. What you say in a private caucus stays with the mediator unless you say it can be shared. Utah recognizes mediation as confidential, with narrow legal exceptions such as threats of physical harm or abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.

If it does not settle

Mediation is voluntary from start to finish. If you do not reach an agreement, you keep every option you had before, including going to court. Many people still leave with a shorter list and a clearer picture of what the other person actually needs, which tends to make whatever comes next cheaper.

Common questions

How long is a session?

Two hours, booked as one block. Many matters finish in that time with a signed agreement. If more time is needed, a second session can be booked at the same hourly rate without a second admin fee.

Do we have to be in the same room?

No. Sessions are by video, and each person joins from wherever they are comfortable. The mediator can move each of you into a private breakout room for a caucus and step between them.

Can I bring a lawyer or a support person?

Lawyers may attend if both people agree. A support person can sometimes join for part of a session, again with both people's agreement. Raise it in the consult so nobody is surprised on the day.

What if the other person will not agree to mediate?

Mediation needs both people to say yes. We can talk through how to extend the invitation in a way that is easier to accept, and the guide on a partner who has stopped communicating has a script. We cannot compel anyone to attend.