Can mediation be done online? Yes! Mediation works very well on-line and has replaced face-to-face meetings in my practice. Everything happens virtually using a combination of emailed and shared files and Zoom video conferencing. Here’s a breakdown of how online mediation works.
When clients meet with me we use the Zoom platform with cameras always turned on so that we can all see and hear each other at the same time. Clients must verify that there is no one else in the room listening on the call, and that they’re not recording it in any way. I always check in with each person individually before I bring both parties onto the screen together. This way, people can let me know that they are all set up and prepared to come into the meeting. In high conflict situations, or if a clients wants to speak to me privately, I use the Zoom waiting rooms to keep each person separate and only speak with one person at a time.
When we discuss financial documents, or calculations I can share screens so that we can all look at these together and discuss them. I sometimes bring up the written agreement or the Net Family Property Statement and fill it in for both clients to see. Clients often send me emails before the mediation session and they sometimes request for these to be brought up onto the screen for discuss as well. The screen sharing is a great tool in online mediation!
Yes, online mediation can be done, and it can be done well! What began as a necessity during the pandemic has now become the norm of my practice. To learn more about online mediation contact me to schedule a no-charge consultation call, or read some of my other articles here.