Family Mediation is a facilitated dialogue between family members when there has arisen a dispute that both family members have been unable to resolve. Unlike therapy, family mediation is guided conversations that may ultimately lead to a mutual understanding and an agreement between family members. Some of these agreements outline expected behaviors or consequences with respect to children or teens. Parent- child conflict can be particularly difficult for families to cope with and sometimes teens may be opposed to participating in therapy. However, you may find that those same teens may be open to participating in a mediation when they learn they will have as much control over the process as the parents. It is in this collaborative approach that you may find real and long lasting change- as all members of the dispute have equal autonomy over the process and its outcome.