In deadlocked situations, people talk to each other differently if they ask a third person to moderate the conversation. Behind opposing positions there is usually a deeper, more hidden issue, the understanding of which is the key to finding a solution. The mediator's special "language" makes it possible to gently make this more transparent.

Thanks to our intensive training as mediators, we are able to get to the bottom of the most important causes in just a few hours and, building on this, take the first steps towards a solution. My job is to ensure a fair discussion that is far better than a dispute and in which you don't have to relive the bad experience. I will get you talking in the right order and with the right wording so that you can take a better look at the situation and relax internally. My approach focuses on identifying interests and needs as well as the dynamics of the interaction. I use systemic approaches for this. Mediation can take 2-5 appointments or longer.

“You always repeat so much of what we say!” I often hear — mediation delves quite deeply into the conversation and, unlike other methods, slows down the pace and works more thoroughly. A mediator questions, probes, senses, takes another look, cares, makes sure everything is going well, and follows every word and every glance... Nevertheless, I’m known for efficient processes — getting to the heart of the matter clearly and sometimes taking a pragmatic approach. I’m sometimes moved when parties in conflict actually value each other, even in the midst of a dispute. That’s when real, lasting progress is made.

Legal basics can be found in the German mediation law, the associated legislative decree (both in German) and at the Bundesverband Mediation website.