Mediating Family and Mediating Family and Relationship DisputesRelationship Disputes

bybySEUMAS TANSEUMAS TAN

Advocate & SolicitorAdvocate & SolicitorMediatorMediator

Author of “Mediation Skills & Techniques”Author of “Mediation Skills & Techniques”

Overview of the Mediation Overview of the Mediation ProcessProcess• Mediator’s opening statement;Mediator’s opening statement;• Checking authority (?);Checking authority (?);• Joint session;Joint session;• Separate session or Private Caucus Separate session or Private Caucus

(?);(?);• Identifying parties’ needs;Identifying parties’ needs;• ClosureClosure

Post Divorce MediationPost Divorce Mediation

Mediation After Mediation After RemarriageRemarriage

Mediation with Intact Mediation with Intact FamiliesFamilies

Mediation involving Mediation involving Unmarried CouplesUnmarried Couples

Dispute between parents Dispute between parents and children / siblingsand children / siblings

Challenges in Family Challenges in Family MediationMediation• Gender issues;Gender issues;• Domestic violence;Domestic violence;• Threatening;Threatening;• Mentally disorder;Mentally disorder;• Irrational behaviour – Irrational behaviour – taking drugs, taking drugs,

frequently intoxicated, etcfrequently intoxicated, etc;;• Mediators making assumption (eg: Mediators making assumption (eg:

parties are of difficult culture)parties are of difficult culture)

Mediator’s SkillsMediator’s Skills• Creating rapport;Creating rapport;• Defusing anger;Defusing anger;• Reframing;Reframing;• Mirroring; andMirroring; and• AssociationAssociation

The EndThe End

Thank youThank you