This week is Relationships Week which is being run by Relationship Scotland. The theme is ‘Relationships Unlocked’- celebrating the relationships that are getting us through the pandemic and encouraging people to seek support if they need it. In the current circumstances, many of us have had the time to think through who is important to us. For most people this has meant that they intend to try and improve their important relationships but sadly for some it has meant the acknowledgement that some relationships are better coming to an end.
As a mediator, working with families who are struggling to manage their conflict, at the start of the mediation process I discuss with the families what they are hoping to get from mediation. We discuss in broad terms, how mediation can help them to reach agreements about the issues that they are having but mediation usually helps to improve relationships. Solving the issues is an important factor in improving relationships but usually the reason that issues are not getting resolved is because relationships are poor. Good relationships mean good communication and a healthy respect for each other, so that issues are usually resolved with minimal conflict. On many occasions I have seen that by helping families to improve their relationships, the issues that they present with, resolve quickly and often without my involvement! So, it’s really all about relationships! I would encourage to you to spend some time thinking about the relationships that are important to you and what needs to happen for them to be better. Also spend some time thinking if your unhealthy relationships could be better, how that could happen but that some unhealthy relationships may be better coming to an end.
