A myth is a commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception, or a popular conception which exaggerates or idealizes reality (see here for more definitions).

Does the mediation world have its own myths? In this episode facilitated by Tammy Lenski, Diane Levin and Amanda Bucklow discuss persistent myths in our field, where they come from, how much (if any) truth is in them, and what we think should be done with them. We focus on these three questions:

• What persistent myths most vex us and why?
• What do those myths, individually or collectively, do to public understanding of our work?
• What should mediators and other ADR professionals do when they hear these myths perpetuated?

The solo ADR practice can be at once a highly social line of work due to interactions with clients, and a lonely existence without the day-to-day affiliations of a typical workplace. The confidentiality required of ADR professionals can exacerbate the isolation.

In this episode facilitated by Amanda Bucklow, Jeff Thompson and Tammy Lenski discuss their own experiences with isolation and loss of affiliation in their solo practices, what surprised them, how they dealt with it, and what they learned about themselves in the process.

The act of mediating, in some ways, is the act of stepping into chaos. Bumps in the road during mediation are not the exception, but the norm. When things get really difficult, how do mediators keep their cool and get their balance back so they can continue to serve their parties well?

In this episode facilitated by Diane Levin and joined by Amanda Bucklow and Tammy Lenski, the three discuss the kinds of situations that most challenge their own calm, how they handle them, and what they've learned from such moments. They share ideas to help mediators regain their mojo after something difficult or unexpected happens and offer advice for what to do when something doesn't go as planned.

In part 1 of this two-part series on mediator certification, we explored the difference between mediator certification, licensure and rostering, what's happening in private certification, and what steps associations are taking toward certification.

In this episode, part 2, we continue our exploration of certification with discussion about these questions and more:

• Should certification be benchmarked to the lowest common denominator of qualifications, a high standard that is difficult to achieve, or somewhere in between?
• What value would certification offer the public and how would it benefit individual mediators as well as the growth of mediation as a profession?
• How do we know certification would improve the quality of mediation services for consumers?
• In what ways might certification have a negative impact on mediators and growth as a profession?

This episode is facilitated by Amanda Bucklow, who is joined in conversation by Jeff Thompson, Vickie Pynchon, Diane Levin, and Tammy Lenski.

What's the difference between mediator certification, licensure and rostering? What's happening out there with certification? Is mediator certification a good idea or a bad one -- and is that question sending us down an unhelpful path? When is private certification a good choice and when should mediation training consumers be wary? And are you a truly certified mediator or a "certificated" one?

Professional mediators Tammy Lenski, Vickie Pynchon, Diane Levin and Amanda Bucklow are joined in this episode by master mediator Susanne Terry, conflict resolution professor at Woodbury Institute and Vermont Law School and member of the Association for Conflict Resolution Board of Directors.

Participants referenced these organizations and resources in the podcast:

• Association for Conflict Resolution
• International Mediation Institute
• Mediate.com
• The Case of Extended, Integrated Mediator Preparation

How much mediation training do you need to hang out a shingle and call yourself a mediator? What constitutes good mediation training? Experienced mediators Diane Levin, Amanda Bucklow, Tammy Lenski, Victoria Pynchon and Jeff Thompson of Cafe Mediate share their answers to these questions and more in the latest episode.

Tammy Lenski, Diane Levin, Amanda Bucklow, and Jeff Thompson reflect on the skills, frame of mind and the ways of being that excellent mediators bring to the table. Referenced in the podcast is the book Bringing Peace Into the Room: How the Personal Qualities of the Mediator Impact the Process of Conflict Resolution (Amazon affiliate link), edited by Daniel Bowling and David Hoffman.