Mediation methods as an adjunct to counselling couples

Couples involved in counselling frequently present situations in which the participants have assumed opposing and antagonistic positions on an issue; problem-solving has reached a deadlock. In these situations, counsellors may find it useful to employ techniques of mediation as an adjunct to traditional methods of counselling and psychotherapy. This paper describes six stages of mediation used with couples to resolve conflict. The six stages of mediation are: a) introduction; b) problem identification; c) identifying and ordering critical problems; d) generating and evaluating problem-solving options; e) evaluating and selecting mutually acceptable, problem-solving options; and f) making an agreement. The discussion also provides procedural suggestions for implementing each stage, methods for coping with commonly occurring problems, and examples of counsellor dialogue at each stage. The paper also discussed several cross-cultural considerations related to communication, counselling and mediation.