By Roanna Veldwyk (Director of Marketing and Sales)
After a break due to health issues, I’m finally back on track with my studies and it feels great to be moving forward again. I recently completed my first mediation role play. It was a little nerve-wracking at first, but I’m proud to say: one role play down, nine to go!
Stepping Into the Client’s Shoes
In this first role play, I stepped into the shoes of a client involved in a Will dispute. This experience opened my eyes to the emotional complexity that often comes with family-related conflicts. Playing the client helped me appreciate the importance of mediators staying calm, empathetic, and neutral, especially when emotions run high and relationships are at risk.
Exploring Different Mediation Pathways
I love that this course allows us to explore different types of mediation. Mediators can choose to specialise in:
Workplace mediation: Supporting resolution in professional environments.
Neighbourhood/community mediation: Helping resolve local disputes that affect daily life.
Wills and estates mediation: Guiding families through sensitive inheritance conversations.
Trying out each of these through role plays is helping me discover where I feel most confident and passionate.
Ethics Matter, In Every Conversation
We also focused on our ethical responsibilities as mediators. I explored the AMDRAS Guidelines, which highlight the need to protect confidentiality, act impartially, and communicate respectfully. These aren’t just concepts, they guide every decision we make in practice. As mediators, we carry a responsibility to uphold professional standards and create a safe space for people in conflict.
Conflict Styles: Understanding How People Respond
This week, we also dived into different conflict styles: avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, and collaborating. Learning about these styles helped me understand why people respond to conflict in other ways and how we, as mediators, can adapt our approach to support effective resolution. You even do a quiz to find out yours!
Today’s Reflective Session: Asking Questions, Gaining Clarity
Today’s student reflective session offered an opportunity to reflect on all that we’ve been learning. The conversation was full of great questions, from ethical dilemmas to tips for preparing for each role play and our trainer answered them all with clarity and encouragement. It reminded me that we’re not alone on this journey. There is a strong sense of community in this course, and each session adds a new layer of insight.
Ready to Begin? Sign Up Today
If you’re thinking about becoming a mediator, don’t wait. This course offers practical skills, strong support, and real insight into what it means to help others navigate conflict. Start your journey now: Sign up for AMDRAS training.
More reading: If you’re curious about how the course begins and what I have experienced so far, check out this post: Week 1 Reflections: A Strong Start to AMDRAS Training.
