Definition
The Feelings stage explores the emotional responses experienced during or after a mediation event. Emotions influence behaviour, decision-making, and professional practice, and understanding them is essential for reflective learning.
Explanation
Reflecting on feelings helps uncover underlying biases, anxieties, or assumptions that may shape mediator practice. In supervision, this stage invites supervisees to identify their emotional responses during a session — such as frustration, empathy, anxiety, or confidence — and consider how these feelings influenced their interventions, neutrality, and communication style.
This stage is not about blaming or excusing errors, but about understanding the influence of emotional states on professional actions.
Key Components of the Feelings Stage
- Identification – Recognising what emotions were felt, when, and in response to what.
- Impact Analysis – Considering how emotions shaped responses, decisions, and interventions.
- Differentiation – Distinguishing between the mediator’s own emotions and those displayed by the parties.
- Professional Relevance – Linking emotions to opportunities for growth in self-awareness and resilience.
For FDR practitioners, reflecting on feelings supports obligations under the Family Law Act 1975 and the FDRP Regulations 2025 to maintain neutrality, professional competence, and safe practice in emotionally charged contexts.
Application in Supervision
Supervisors should create a safe, supportive environment for discussing emotions. Open exploration of feelings helps supervisees identify emotional triggers, strengthen emotional regulation, and build resilience for managing high-conflict sessions
Supervisor Prompt:
“What were you feeling at key points during the session, and how might those feelings have influenced your responses?”
Reflective Question for Learners:
How comfortable are you in identifying and naming your emotions after a mediation session, and how could this enhance your reflective practice?