Mary Sue and Finney happy
about their blue ribbon ride!

Mediation is voluntary! If you are involved in a dispute and the other person(s) agree to mediation then the process may be right for you. We do not mediate disputes where domestic violence, child or elder abuse is involved. Please see “Resources” section for other services.

We do any type of conflict resolution work from family to insurance issues. We do have a specialty however and that is Equine related conflict.

Yes, we do. Our service area is Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Florida. If you are in another state call us and we will help you find a mediator.

Email us or call our Baltimore, Maryland offices. If at all possible ask before you call if the other party would be willing to try mediation. We can inquire for you but we will need the contact information.

Our mediations are held in a neutral, private, and comfortable office setting. You and the other party (and your attorneys, if you wish) will be seated together with your mediator in the same room. The mediator will begin by reviewing the “agreement to mediate” which you will both sign. This states that you are both there voluntarily, that everything that is said during mediation is confidential, and that the mediator cannot be called to testify against either party and will destroy his/her notes in two weeks. The mediator will begin by asking who would like to talk about whatever issue he/she would like to start with. Sessions last no more than three hours and can at the party’s request conclude at any time.

Conflict and anger go hand in hand. Your transformative mediator has plenty of experience “sitting in the heat”. Do not focus on us, as we are NOT the important people in the room. We are providing the time and place for you to express what ever it is that is meaningful and helpful to you. That said we do find that a civil manner and modulated voice go along way toward changing the conflict!

Mary Sue McCarthy, Principle Mediator, believes deeply in this approach. The basic difference between an arbitration or facilitative or directive process is that the “Transformative” mediator maintains total neutrality and does NOT persuade, push, or direct the parties in any way. We can and will if requested serve as resources for what might be helpful or possible going forward. Rather than make judgments for others we empower people to DECIDE for themselves and recognize or hear the other party differently, often for the first time.

At the end of the session whatever the parties have decided or not will be summarized by the mediator in written form. This might take the shape of an agreement or resolution or simple guidelines for working together in the future. ITS IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT A TRANSFORMATIVE MEDIATION IS YOUR PROCESS, YOU DECIDE THE OUTCOME AND WHAT YOU WANT TO  HAPPEN NEXT!