Terri had her 1st Arbitration Hearing last week and this weekend wrote her 1st Reasoned Award.
When Terri and I started this adventure 3yrs ago, we didn’t know where we would be by this point. With the help of wonderful Instructors over this past 3yrs, our Mentors and Jumping In with both feet with the Texas Association of Mediators (TAM) we have exceeded our on expectations.
In keeping with our life-long learning, we included Arbitration in our tool-box with another set of wonderful Instructors and the associated Groups we are involved with.
The continuing education, from reading (in my case: a mixture of over 40 books on mediation, arbitration, psychology and philosophy), the many books that Terri reads (we trade off) as well as all the Zoom meetings and Webinars, it’s keeping our brains going and helping us know that we are making a difference.
Though not all mediations settle. We encourage the parties to keep trying to communicate before the case goes before a Judge. Arbitration is very much like a Judge, it’s a zero sum ruling-there is a winner and a looser. It’s the Arbitrator’s job to make a binding decision for the parties when they are not able to come to an agreement on their own, or with the help of a mediator facilitating the mediation to reach a resolution.
Week before last, I passed the threshold to apply for the highest level of credentialing with Texas Mediator Credentialing Association (TMCA). I was approved and received my “Credentialed Distinguished Mediator” certification last week.
We are so happy to be a part of a close knit community of Mediators and Arbitrators all over Texas, that we call Friends and Family! We are also proud to volunteer for the 3rd year as Mentors to help new Mediators as they continue to learn their field.
It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. And what a Journey it has been!
We are Americas Peacemakers! 
