Mediation Services
Metta’s mediation service offers guided support for people in conflict, emphasizing understanding, empathy, and transformation. We create a safe, neutral space where participants can de-escalate tension, share perspectives, and explore solutions at their own pace. While we don’t promise resolution, the process helps foster personal growth, restored trust, and stronger connections.
Mediation Services with a Restorative Approach
At the Metta Center for Nonviolence, we know that conflict is part of life. When handled with care, conflict doesn’t have to create lasting harm—it can become an opening for understanding, healing, and stronger connections.
We are now offering mediation services with an emphasis on restorative processes to support individuals, families, and communities in working through conflict safely and constructively.
Our Approach
Our mediation work is rooted in the principles of nonviolence. We create a safe and respectful space where everyone has the chance to be heard. Instead of focusing on blame or punishment, we emphasize:
Respect: honoring the dignity of every person.
Understanding: listening deeply to one another’s needs and experiences.
Repair: addressing harm and rebuilding trust when possible.
Collaboration: co-creating solutions that meet the needs of all.
This approach draws on restorative practices, which seek not only to resolve disputes but to heal relationships and strengthen the fabric of community.
Who We Work With
Our services are available for:
Families navigating difficult conversations or long-standing tensions.
Neighbors seeking to resolve disputes constructively.
Workplaces looking to strengthen communication and teamwork.
Schools or youth programs addressing conflicts in ways that support learning and growth.
Community groups wanting to move through differences with dignity.
What We Offer
Mediation Sessions: A structured, confidential process guided by a trained mediator.
Conflict Coaching: One-on-one support for individuals who want help preparing for a difficult conversation or navigating conflict with greater confidence and clarity.
Whether you are directly in conflict or simply want guidance on approaching a challenging situation, we are here to support you.
What to Expect
A Safe, Neutral Space: All participants are treated with respect and confidentiality.
Conflict De-Escalation: We are trained to help reduce tension, guide calm communication, and prevent escalation.
Perspective Sharing: Each person has the opportunity to express their experiences and feelings while being heard.
Focus on Understanding: We prioritize empathy and insight, helping participants see each other’s perspectives.
Transformative Guidance: While outcomes aren’t guaranteed, the process supports personal growth, restored trust, and stronger relationships
Accessible and Donation-Based
In the spirit of nonviolence and inclusivity, we offer these services on a donation basis.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Contributions of any size support the sustainability of this work and help us extend mediation to more people in need.
Why Restorative Processes?
In a culture that often defaults to punishment or avoidance, restorative processes create pathways for healing. They provide space for responsibility, repair, and reconciliation.
Conflict, when engaged with courage and compassion, can transform relationships and strengthen communities.
Our Commitment
As part of the Metta Center’s mission to help people practice nonviolence more safely and effectively, we bring not only skills in mediation but also decades of experience in peacebuilding, education, and community resilience.
We see mediation as a living expression of nonviolence—practical, hopeful, and deeply human.
Get in Touch
If you are interested in mediation or coaching—or simply curious to learn more—we invite you to contact us.
We would be glad to listen, answer your questions, and explore whether mediation or coaching could support you, your family, or your community.
About Our Mediator:
Stephanie Van Hook served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa (2005–2007) before earning a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and Mediation. She is trained in both facilitative and transformative mediation approaches and has applied the principles of nonviolence for over a decade as Executive Director of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, where she provides a safe, balanced space for participants to feel heard, explore perspectives, and strengthen community trust. As part of this work, she is a writer and a radio journalist. Her nationally syndicated radio program, Nonviolence Radio, shares stories and ideas that advance nonviolent practices and dialogue.