How to Survive a Mediation

"After more than two decades working in conflict resolution, I have encountered no shortage of literature on the subject. Yet How to Survive a Mediation: A Guide for Participants by Fred E. Jandt earns a place among the most genuinely useful. What distinguishes this book is its focus on the participant’s perspective. Jandt writes not for fellow professionals, but for the people actually sitting at the table and those who arrive with nerves, misconceptions, and uncertainty. He addresses the emotional weight of mediation just as skillfully as he explains the procedural steps, and the result is a guide that is both honest and deeply reassuring. I now recommend this book to my own clients before any session begins. It sends them into the room feeling prepared, clear-headed, and genuinely open to resolution, in my experience, makes all the difference. Accessible, authoritative, and long overdue."
Phylicia Dee, Seasoned Mediator, 25+ Years in Practice
Amazon Review

"For readers unfamiliar with mediation—and especially those who confuse it with arbitration—How to Survive a Mediation replaces mystery with structure and fear with preparation. If you are heading into mediation, this guide functions like a steadying presence. You bring the conflict. Jandt brings the framework. And that framework makes self-determination more than a slogan—it makes it possible."
An excerpt from the book review "Turn the Stressful Process of Mediation Into a Plan for Success" in BookTrib
Read the full book review.

"This book fills a critical gap in the ADR literature by addressing the single most important, but overlooked, constituency in the mediation process—the parties themselves. Mediator bookshelves are full of guides, handbooks, compilations of articles, and treatises written only for the mediation student or practitioner. If parties are to exercise self-determination, how can they be expected to make informed choices as to both process and substance on the basis of a brief mediators introduction at the very moment they are facing an unknown and often highly emotionally challenge? This book is a resource for any party to a mediation, from the unrepresented client in a Small Claims proceeding to the lawyered-up party in a major litigation. It seems apparent that knowledgeable parties foster true party self-determination in the mediation process. This book takes a giant step in providing that knowledge."
Richard Lutringer, A.B., J.D., M.C.L., Certified Commercial Mediator

"I have had the privilege of knowing Dr. Fred Jandt for many years, and during that time, I have gained invaluable insights from his deep expertise in conflict resolution, including mediation. Having taught the subject at the highest levels and served as a mediator, Dr. Jandt’s understanding of the mediation process is unparalleled. As someone who has also taught courses on conflict resolution and mediation, and as a practicing mediator and arbitrator, I have seen firsthand how critical it is for participants to approach mediation with a clear understanding and an open mind. One of the most common challenges I have encountered during mediation—both as a party representative and a mediator—is the reluctance or aversion that many participants have toward the process, often making it more difficult to reach a successful and productive resolution. In this essential guide, Dr. Jandt addresses this reluctance head-on, offering practical insights and strategies for navigating mediation with confidence, and he does so in an easily relatable style with many of his own mediation stories. I highly recommend this book to anyone preparing to participate in a mediation or seeking to understand the process more fully."
Michael Whelan, J.D., Member, National Academy of Arbitrators, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Arbitration Roster, American Arbitration Association Labor Panel