Restorative and Transformative Mediation Sessions

When racial oppression and harm has occurred, feeling safe in our relationships with our colleagues and communities can feel incredibly difficult. In these cases, Transformative Mediation can provide a healing way to address the invisible structures in our organizations which uphold racial oppression, and tend to the individual relationships that have been damaged as a result of the harm inflicted.

All Transformative Mediation sessions are consent-based, meaning that for the wellbeing of those harmed, all parties must meaningfully agree to participate. In a Transformative Mediation session, I will hear all parties involved, hold your stories and wounds with care, and work with you on creating a shared path toward equitable, embodied and liberated communities.

You might benefit from a transformative mediation session if:

• You are an employer or director looking to address and repair race-based or oppression-based conflict in your workplace or organization

• You have experienced race-based oppression or harm in your community, and want to have a reparative mediation experience that centers your experience and needs.

• You have caused race-based oppression and harm and are looking for an opportunity to learn, grow and repair.

Please note that all Transformative Mediation sessions are consent-based, and all parties must meaningfully agree to participate.

What’s the difference between conflict resolution, restorative mediation and transformative mediation?

In the Words of adrienne maree brown (preferred lower case. Writer, Activist + Black Feminist):

“What we’re used to and have been socialized into is punitive justice. We are punished when harm happens. We get removed from community when harm occurs, and this happens more often for Black, Indigenous and racialized individuals (whether they have committed harm or not). Restorative justice is a process of trying to restore conditions to the state that existed prior to harm. This doesn’t go far enough if the original conditions were unjust. Returning to the original condition is not actually justice. Transformative justice is about going all the way down to the root system of the harm. We look at what we need to do at the root system, so this harm will never be possible again. We understand that if the “system” is still involved in punitive justice, then we look for means to engage in transformative justice within our communities. We look at how we turn to each other to go more deeply into building communities. In this turning to each other, we say, “I believe you *can* transform”.

In the Words of Mia Mingus (Queer, Disabled, Transracial + Transnational Adoptee and Disability Justice Advocate):

“Transformative justice is way of responding to violence and harm, without creating more violence and harm. What does it look like to respond to harm, without creating more harm? A way to respond to violence within our own communities in a way that doesn’t rely on violence in a state or oppressive system, and helps to cultivate safety, healing, compassion.”

In the Words of Stas Schmiedt (Black/Italian Consent is Accountability Advocate):

“Transformative justice is about addressing harm, but also understanding why that harm happened, and addressing the underlying dynamics that created the conditions in the community that allowed for this harm to happen.” 

What happens during a transformative mediation process?

• Transformative mediation can happen between individuals, groups or teams, as long as each member is committed to being present for the full process.

• The mediation process begins with individual interviews with each team member to establish a relationship with the mediator and to have a protected space to share their voice and perspective on individual relational dynamics as well as on systems in their workplace or community that are causing harm.

• After individual interviews, a series of group mediation sessions will be booked to address conflicts, harm, paths to repair, and collective ideas on how to change systems and dynamics that allowed harm to occur.

Values of a mediation process:

• Accountability

• Empathy

• Recognition and Responsibility

• Community + Collective Care

• Embodied Learning + Exploration

To inquire or book, please fill out the form below: