Reviews : What Works in Family Mediation

AuthorCraig Steeland
Date01 March 1997
Published date01 March 1997
DOI10.1177/026455059704400108
Subject MatterArticles
/tmp/tmp-18hUB3QOq9WE8b/input
therapists who see mediation as a form of
short-term crisis therapy. They regard
REVIEWS
residence and contact disputes as
indicators that the process of emotional
separation has not been successfully
accomplished by one or both parties and
that the conflict marks a crisis in the life
of the parents. Their model of mediation
involves seven separate stages, with the
couple meeting together for 3 to 7 three-
hour sessions, although some of the cases
described in the book involved up to 18
sessions spread over a one-year period.
In spite of the apparent depth of the
AND
CONTACT CISUID
mediator’s involvement and the intention
that such mediation is to serve as an
alternative to litigation, the mediation is
not ’comprehensive’ in that it does not
focus on matters related to property or
maintenance.
The core of the book consists of
Lindstein and Meteyard, a Swedish
academic and a British court welfare
What Works in Family Mediation
officer respectively, presenting a number
Thomas Lindstein
of case studies illustrating the process of
mediation and its effects
and Barry Meteyard
upon the parents
and children involved. The research is
Russell House Publishing, 1996;
based upon examination of detailed
205pp, £14.95 pbk
journals kept by the mediators involved
Discovering ’what works in family
and separate follow-up interviews with
mediation’ would
the
seem to be a useful
parents and the mediators. The
project to undertake as the
theoretical
process of
approach used is primarily
implementing the Family Law Act 1996
psychodynamic and some interesting
begins. The use of this phase in the title
insights emerge from the accounts of the
of a book suggests that the book might
mediators’ work, including some
contain an authoritative and
reflections on the validating function of
comprehensive overview of the various
the act of quarrelling. The authors then
methods and techniques available to
use an analytical framework to draw
mediators. In the case of this book,
some...

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