Mediation’s INVISIBLE Best Friend
A substantial disagreement with your significant other ends, thankfully, short of all-out war. Amazingly, minutes later , your partner pulls a 180 degree turn and starts talking calmly about what the problem is and how to resolve. But, you are absolutely not ready! The constructive part of your psyche has been shut down by the pit in your stomach and negative energy within. All you can think of is walking away from the disagreement and coming back to the dispute at another place and another time…or maybe you’ll just shelve it and never revisit it. Sound familiar?
In mediation, parties are adverse and typically disputing a whole host of issues, yet do not have the luxury of coming back another time. Meanwhile, the whole reason they came to the mediation was to resolve the impasse! What’s a mediation company to do?
This is the precise thought that we had when we first started planning the design of our new office environment. In the words of our Director of Operations, Michael Fagen, we wanted to find a way to “bring down the heat” for any mediation that was at an impasse. We knew that if we built an environment that fostered facilitative interaction we could achieve a space that could breed cooperation and collaboration. The space would become an integral part of our mediation capabilities, our secret weapon, our invisible friend.
The design of our space took over a year of planning and its execution and opening on February 7, 2017 did not disappoint. Every detail in our Zen-type space is targeted at creating an atmosphere that promotes relaxed conversation and encourages relationships to develop and grow. To us, it was critical to create a physical and cognitive environment that is not only conducive to resolution but inspires it.
The result: A quiet attorney/carrier lounge and private, cozy breakout rooms with a pleasant, background score of cool jazz . An amply apportioned coffee bar, well, because coffee and conversation are siblings, and conversation is the starting point for compromise. Weaved throughout the space are cool, comfortable furnishings and unique finishes in just the right hues of blue. Soothing abstract artwork hangs in the mediation rooms and throughout the environment. Rounding out the experience? Comfort food, and yes, dessert snacks for those long, energy depleting mediations.
Our staff’s sole purpose is to make every guest and colleague that visits our offices feel relaxed and comfortable.. We invite you to stop by and tell us if we accomplished our goals.
Special thanks to our designer extraordinaire, Debbie Spiro, who kept our vision and our goal in mind with every finish and furnishing she artfully assembled to create the masterpiece that is (Settlement Services Arbitration & Mediation).