Bernadette Willems

The Power of Mediation in Business and Relationships

by Bernadette Willems

“I’ve had enough….”
“How do I leave my husband….”
“They are just not listening….”
“How can we stop this from getting ugly….”
“It’ll be lonely this Christmas….”
“We’ve tried everything, and nothing is working….”
“I’ve had enough of life….” 

These are just some comments I hear daily in my role as The Business Peacemaker and The Post-Divorce Specialist at Greater Manchester Mediation Limited. 

With more than 25 years of experience as a Family Solicitor, Mediator, Trainer and Coach in the field of conflict resolution, I help people lead a better life and a brighter future free from debilitating disputes – thereby helping to create a better world for all of us.

The key to this is ‘Mediation’. But what is it, and how does it work?

As founder of Greater Manchester Mediation Limited, and as ‘The Business Peacemaker’ and ‘The Post-Divorce Specialist’, I show my clients primarily how to communicate with each other. This is vital, as it ensures that vulnerable or emotionally fragile clients feel heard and empowered, and it rebuilds bridges between estranged parties. 

I am also there to support my clients in navigating the legal process, helping them understand the requirements of law and to find the best route to resolve their disputes. In addition, I ensure that they are not overwhelmed by all the information available and help them determine their best course of action. 

Many disputes or problems between individuals, in personal or work relationships or within teams, are compounded or aggravated because clients do not understand each other’s way of thinking, together with the legal (and other) options available to them. 

Crucially, with the benefit of this legal knowledge, together with the life and personal development tools and resources I share with my clients, they can identify ways of building or maintaining trust, despite the past.

Mediated solutions work better, last longer and cost far less than solutions imposed by a tribunal or a court, and everyone involved buys into them. Moreover, they are less adversarial, and Mediation fosters mutual respect through improved communication.

Mediation can mend and preserve frayed relationships, even when the parties are extremely angry.