40+
Years advancing mediation across Western Pennsylvania
1:1
Mentorship
Members Only
An exclusive benefit of your MCWP membership
Building a Mediation Practice Alone
Is Harder Than It Has to Be
You became a mediator because you believe in what this work can do.
But somewhere between qualifying and building a practice that actually sustains you, you realized there was no clear roadmap. No one to call. No obvious next step.
You want answers to the questions that keep piling up with nowhere to go. You want to know what to do when a session takes a turn you did not see coming, and trust yourself to handle it.
You want to be known within your local mediation community, not just certified, because you understand that being in the right room with the right people is how practices actually grow.
And you want to belong somewhere. To find the peers who understand the nuances of this work, the gray areas, the slow starts, the moments of self-doubt.
The truth is, most mediators build their practice without a single person in their corner. Not because they are not good enough. Because the support has not existed.
Every question you have been sitting on deserves a real answer.
Mentoring has two benefits. Personally, I very much enjoy helping newer mediators hone their skills and advance their careers. But most importantly, it is crucial to our profession to have mediators who are competent and who appreciate the value of being part of the mediation community.
Bernie Behrend
Experienced Mediator and MCWP Member
You became a mediator because you believe in what this work can do.
But somewhere between qualifying and building a practice that actually sustains you, you realized there was no clear roadmap. No one to call. No obvious next step.
Most mediators build their practice without a single person in their corner. Not because they are not good enough. Because the support has not existed.
Every question you have been sitting on deserves a real answer.
Western Pennsylvania's Mediation Mentorship Program
Two ways to get the support you need.
Structure exists to support you, not restrict you. You bring the questions. The initiative gives you the space, the people, and the guidance to answer them.
1:1 Mentoring
Matched to your Practice Area
You bring the questions. Together with your mentor, you set the format and frequency to suit you both. Zoom or coffee, mornings or evenings, weekly, monthly or quarterly.
Recommended minimum: 2 meetings over six months
Recommended minimum: 2 meetings over six months
Monthly Group Sessions
The Summits
Once a month, your full cohort gathers for an open, collaborative peer session built around shared learning. The agenda is guided by what members bring to each session.
Recommended minimum: 3 sessions over six months
Recommended minimum: 2 meetings over six months
Topics That Could Be Covered
Every 1:1 session is led entirely by you. These are examples of the kinds of topics and questions members may bring to their mentor and to the Summits. Yours may look completely different.
Case dissections · Ethical scenarios · Business development · Practice challenges · Technology in mediation · Client acquisition · Pricing your services · Agreement structure
These Are the Questions Most Mediators Carry Alone for Years
Your 1:1 sessions are yours to direct. These are the kinds of questions members bring. Yours may look completely different.
How do I price my services without undervaluing myself?
How do I find and attract the clients I want to work with?
What do I do when a session takes an unexpected turn?
How do I navigate an ethical gray area?
Should I specialize in a practice area or stay a generalist?
How do I make mediation my full-time career?
One conversation with the right mentor can move you further than months of figuring it out alone.
Everything Your Mediation Practice Gains When You Stop Building Alone
Not ready for 1:1 mentoring yet? You are welcome to join the monthly Summits first and experience the community before committing further.
❝ Having a mentor gives a new mediator someone to turn to when questions arise. That alone changes everything.❞
Mary Kate Coleman | Experienced Mediator
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Matched With Care
Every pairing is made personally by Minna Allison and John Mazurowski, MCWP Mentorship Committee co-chairs. There is no algorithm here. Just two thoughtful mediators who take the time to get it right.
NO. 1
Apply at the start of a cycle
Applications open at the beginning of each six-month cycle. The process is straightforward and takes only a few minutes.
NO. 2
Get matched within two weeks
Minna and John review every application personally, with practice area alignment as the first priority.
If your interests span more than one area, you may be matched with more than one mentor.
NO. 3
Begin your six months
From here, you and your mentor take it at whatever pace works for you both.
You will also have access to the monthly Summits, where your full cohort gathers to learn, connect, and grow.
I am where I am today because I had the benefit of great mentors from the Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania to support me and guide me through both the process of becoming a mediator, exploring new practice areas, and they gave me the confidence to make it my full-time career.
Alicia R. Nocera, Esq.
Experienced Mediator and MCWP President
