Facilitative mediation is a style in which the mediator focuses on helping the parties communicate, identify their underlying interests, and develop their own solutions rather than evaluating the merits of their positions.

A facilitative mediator asks questions, reflects back what they hear, reframes positions as interests, and helps the parties generate and evaluate options. The mediator does not offer opinions about who is right or what the court would likely do.

Facilitative mediation works well when the parties are capable of negotiating in good faith with structure and when the primary obstacle to resolution is communication rather than a fundamental disagreement about the legal merits.