After a while, the way we begin sessions – whether a MIAM or Joint – tend to become habitual. We have a well-rehearsed spiel that rolls off our tongues without much thought.
And it is precisely this lack of thinking that might benefit from a bit more reflection.. Does our habitual way of working best serve our clients? Does it help us feel more confident and competent about our role in the process?
On a practical level, the various opening gambits are worth exploring. These include how we use The Agreement to Mediate, to the ground-rules we might promote, how we describe the mediation process/principles, how we set the agenda and whether we offer any upfront coaching.
There may well be other bits and pieces that we include as part of our opening moves. Spending some time reflecting and sharing how we start gives us more options and choices. In that sense, the session is designed to be exploratory and conversational. The aim is to feel both better equipped and more purposeful about how we begin.