People often ask me the following question: Vanessa, how do you remain neutral during mediation? Are you tempted sometimes to favour one person over the other? The truth is that as a certified mediator, I have to understand the point of view of each person involved in the conflict and I also have to understand why he or she acted in a certain way.

For the mediator, nobody is right or wrong. Rather, it’s more about two individuals who did not understand each other and a conflict that escalated to the point of requiring the help of an intermediary. Neutral, the mediator can go beyond the words or the actions that led to a conflict. Therefore, the mediator is well placed to help resolve a dispute.