What is the Parent-Teen Mediation?
All teenagers struggle with conflicting tasks of establishing their own identity without destroying ties to family. These tasks are harder for some teens than others. Mediation offers family members an opportunity to listen and be heard on equal footing.

Parent-Teen Mediation provides a confidential setting for family members to work out conflicts constructively. Through the process, members also learn new ways of handling conflict and develop communication skills that may help them resolve or avoid future problems.

Initially the co-mediators meet with the teen and the parent(s) or caregiver(s) separately. These intake interviews help the mediators better understand the conflict and help the family members better understand what to expect of mediation. The interviews are confidential and sometimes give people a chance to vent without putting the other family members on the defensive.

Mediation is not recommended for all family conflict situations.  Domestic violence or abuse that causes fear, and mental illness or substance abuse that impairs a person’s ability to negotiate effectively are not appropriate for mediation.


Why does Parent-Teen Mediation Work?
Parent-Teen Mediation acknowledges the unequal power relationship between parents and teens.  Often both parents and teens try to manipulate or directly exert that power, and mediation ensures a resonable degree of balance and fairness.

An experienced adult mediator is paired with a trained youth mediator who brings a clear perspective of what it is like to be a teen and can help the teen family member be at ease. Family members are encouraged to state their positions respectfully in a way that they feel they have been heard and understood.  Mediators can help family members talk on a deeper level to address their needs, concerns and interests underlying their positions to promote mutual understanding.

Parent-Teen Mediation is not about finding fault and laying blame. Instead, by understanding and resolving the immediate conflict, family members learn to appreciate and get along with each other. All family relationships can benefit from this conflict resolution.

If agreements are reached, the co-mediators will help put them in writing, taking care that such agreements are reasonable, fair, mutually acceptable and workable.

Potential sources of Parent-Teen conflict:

• Communication: fighting, talking back, sharing
• School: grades, attendance, truancy, behavior
• Crisis: assault, pregnancy, death
• Home rules: curfew, chores, time with family
• Parent & Step-parent relationships
• Friends & dating: time spent, choices, activities
• Drugs & alcohol: use, covering up, treatment
• Identity issues: respect, gender orientation, sexual orientation
• Minor criminal behavior
• Music, movies, games
• Appearance
• Transportation
• Employment
• Sibling relationships
• Life choices, goals

To make a referral to the Mediation Program, please complete a referral form and send it to the mediation advisor along with any documents that would provide additional background information. Referral forms can be downloaded here. All referrals and related documents are confidential and personal documents will be returned.