What I Learned (about myself) in Mediation Training
I recently spent five days at Pepperdine Law School in Malibu completing mediation training.
I stayed in an Airbnb right on the beach. It was something I’d always dreamed of—waking up at the shore of the ocean and watching the sunset over the Pacific.
Except on the first night, it wasn’t so dreamy… the waves crashed so hard the entire condo enclave shook under my bed. The front door rattled with each swell, confusing me with someone trying to break into my unit, or an earthquake, or another Space X satellite taking off. I tried padding the door with pillows to soften the rattle, but to no avail. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep much. The next morning, all was normal again. The ocean was calm, rhythmic, and quiet.
It struck me that this is the perfect metaphor for mediation. (By the way, that’s mediation, not meditation. Some people have been confused, which makes sense because I am a meditator too 🧘.)
Like those waves, conflict can start out loud, forceful, and all-consuming. But when given space without judgment or resistance, it eventually finds its rhythm. The energy doesn’t disappear; it transforms. That transformation is what holding space for mediation makes possible.
Mediation isn’t about who’s right or wrong, or even just or unjust in principle; it’s about understanding. It’s about moving from positions to interests, from reaction to reflection, and from “winning” to resolving. It’s a space where emotion, story, and logic all have a place at the table. And something I didn’t realize I needed to learn myself.
As the week progressed, I realized that mediation is the amalgamation of all my previous careers—law, coaching, teaching, and even my time as a yoga instructor and feng shui consultant. It draws from legal structure and intuition, clarity and compassion, boundaries and openness. It is, quite literally, a mindful path to resolution.
When I applied to law schools back in my 20’s, I dreamed of attending Pepperdine. I couldn’t have imagined that decades later, I’d find myself there—not as a student chasing a degree, but as someone integrating a lifetime of experience into a new chapter of practice.
All that to say, I’m now offering mediation services to my existing practice, helping individuals, families, creatives, and businesses resolve conflict in the areas of contractual disputes in entertainment and business, estates, and interpersonal and family conflicts.
In my primary work drafting and negotiating agreements, I’m always thinking ahead to what could go wrong and what could go really right for my client, along with making expectations clear on both sides. Inevitably, disagreements ensue (especially in arrangements with no contract).
I'm excited to add this option for dispute resolution as more people are turning away from use of the court system…. because sometimes peace isn’t found by silencing the waves, it’s found by learning to listen to them. Link here for more information about mediation services.
🌊 🏄 Tisha