The mediator can remind the parties to take a more co-operative and less competitive approach. Because the parties have usually experienced a significant breach of trust, responding to trust issues is one of the most challenging tasks for a mediator. The emotional consequences of the breakdown of relationships in family disputes cannot be overstated. Lawyers who are working hard to advocate for their clients may miss the emotional significance of some of the matters that cause the most grief and about which a person becomes most intransigent. Family mediators consider the emotions and the feelings that the parties are experiencing which can be a significant obstacle to settlement.
Mediation can be effective even when conflict and anger is high, and communication has broken down.
Some people are concerned that they will not be able to negotiate effectively with the other party and then they will lose. But with a trained mediator, the parties can trust that they are not going to be abused or taken advantage of by the other party. Settlement Meetings do not usually involve communication directly between the parties. In mediation, on the other hand, the parties talk to each other, with the mediator present. Direct negotiation between the parties generally expedites the resolution of issues.