For parents and adolescents who may be experiencing conflict, the mediation model includes two mediators; one adult and one teen. This approach addresses, to a certain extent, an adolescent’s concern that an adult mediator might be biased in favor of the parent. But even more importantly, it addresses the ages-old refrain, spoken almost universally by adolescents to their parents, “You just don’t understand me!” It turns out that a teen mediator actually is better at decoding what the adolescent is trying to communicate and, through artful questioning and encouragement, is able to help the parent to understand. By involving a teen mediator in the process, the adolescent is more likely to feel heard and respected.
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