NVMS has been providing skill-building courses for professionals and new mediators for over 25 years. Our highly interactive courses are approved by the Supreme Court of Virginia for continuing mediator education credits (CME) and the Virginia Bar for continuing legal education credits (CLE).
Click the category heading to jump to course descriptions and upcoming sessions below.
Advanced Mediation Skills
- Mediating Complex and Multiparty Civil Cases
- Mediating EEO and Workplace Disputes
- Preparing Memoranda and Agreements
- Virginia Mediator Ethics
Alternative Dispute Resolution Process
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Beyond Mediation
- Facilitation and Group Consensus Building
- Mediation Skills and Process
- Negotiation Skills
- Powerful Coaching
- Restorative Justice Facilitator Training
Conflict Resolution Skills
- Building Trust and Overcoming Distrust
- Civility in the Workplace
- Culture and Conflict
- How We Think: Hidden Barriers to Conflict Resolution
- NonViolent Communication
- Solution Focused Problem Solving
Virginia Mediator Certification Courses
- Facilitation and Group Consensus Building
- Mediation Skills and Process
- Mediation Practicum: General District Court
- Mediating Complex and Multiparty Civil Cases
- Mentorship: General District Court – Comediations only
- Orientation to the Virginia Judicial System
- Preparing Memoranda and Agreement
Advanced Mediation Skills
Advanced practice workshops are designed for experienced mediators who seek to enhance their knowledge and expertise through a more intensive study of theory and practice. Classes fulfill NVMS Professional Certificate Program requirements and can count for continuing education credits.
Mediating Complex and Multiparty Civil Cases
Required for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate and the Circuit Court Civil Certification
Prerequisites: Mediation Skills and Process or basic mediation training
This workshop covers the skills and approaches needed to work with a combination of multiple parties, attorneys, substantive experts, and complex issues.
Mediating EEO and Workplace Disputes
Required for Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
Prerequisites: Mediation Skills and Process or basic mediation training
This workshop is an in-depth, hands-on training about the special aspects of mediating public and private sector employment disputes.
Preparing Memoranda and Agreements
Required for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate and the Circuit Court Civil Certification
Prerequisites: Mediation Skills and Process or basic mediation training
One of the last acts in a successful mediation is the drafting of an agreement or memorandum of understanding. This workshop will develop participants’ skills in preparing documents for parties, counsel, and court.
Virginia Mediator Ethics
Required for Virginia Court Mediator recertification
Ethical standards provide an essential framework for the practice of mediation. This workshop uses scenarios and discussion to examine the Virginia Standards of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Certified Mediators.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Processes
The following courses will support participants in building a strong grounding in ADR processes and skills. These workshops benefit those interested in applying these interventions in their workplace or their community. Classes fulfill NVMS Professional Certificate Program requirements and can count for continuing education credits.
ADR: Beyond Mediation
Required for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
This workshop provides an up-to-date look at ADR methods, applications, sources of information, and how to use and participate effectively in ADR.
Facilitation and Group Consensus Building
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution Certificate; Elective for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
In this core facilitation skills workshop, participants master the techniques and skills necessary to professionally structure, facilitate and build consensus within meetings, conferences, and multiparty decision-making groups.
Mediation Skills and Process
Required for all NVMS Certificates and all Virginia Court Mediator Certification categories
Mediation training will give you the skills to facilitate productive conversations and foster a collaborative environment where solutions can develop to help everyone involved. We have been offering this successful workshop since 1992, preparing thousands to support others in resolving disputes through mediation.
Negotiation Skills
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution Certificate and for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
This course provides focuses on an “interest-based” approach to negotiation. Participants will learn the skills and techniques necessary to practice the art and science of persuasion and negotiation.
Powerful Coaching
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution Certificate; Elective for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
This course will teach participants profound coaching tools, provide solid practice opportunities, and offer a safe place to explore and experience the powerful impact of giving and receiving coaching.
Restorative Justice
In this interactive 2-day course, participants will learn and practice key skills in RJ conference facilitation, restorative approaches to addressing harm, engaging stakeholders, managing emotional responses, and facilitating agreements to repair harm.
Conflict Resolution Skills
The following courses support participants in building a strong grounding into conflict resolution principles and skills. These workshops benefit those interested in using these skills to build stronger relationships and to prevent conflict in the workplace, community, and their personal lives. Classes fulfill NVMS Professional Certificate Program requirements and can count for continuing education credits.
Building Trust and Overcoming Distrust
Elective for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution and the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificates
This program will explore what trust is and its critical role in personal and organizational dynamics and offer specific, practical ways to build and/or rebuild trust when it is broken.
Civility in the Workplace
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution Certificate
Civility in the Workplace helps organizations and individuals develop a culture of shared trust and respect by understanding why civility is important, identifying what makes a behavior be perceived as civil or uncivil, and creating strategies, policies, and procedures to prevent and deal with uncivil behavior.
Culture and Conflict
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution and the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
Awareness of cultural factors is critical to understand and address conflict in order to avoid unintentional bias. This workshop includes exercises, theory, and practical strategies.
How We Think: Hidden Barriers to Conflict Resolution
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution and the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
According to the studies, our brains are hard-wired to argue, seek revenge, and impede rational decision-making. This workshop is a fascinating look at brain science and the challenge of overcoming human nature when working to resolve conflict.
Non-violent Communication
Elective for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution and the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
In this session, you will be introduced to the non-violent communication process, which can guide us to reframe how we express ourselves, how we hear others, and how we can resolve conflicts using a four-step model.
Solution Focused Problem Solving
Required for the Organizational Development and Conflict Resolution Certificate; Elective for the Federal Workplace Mediation Certificate
This workshop is designed for conflict management practitioners who engage in the diagnosis, management, and resolution of complex organizational problems. Participants will learn a framework for assessing organizational conflict, strategies, and tools to facilitate change.
Virginia Mediator Certification Courses
The courses in this section are required to complete Virginia Court Mediator Certifications.
Mediation Skills and Process
Required for General District Court, Circuit Court Civil, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Court Family Certifications
Mediation training will give you the skills to facilitate productive conversations and foster a collaborative environment where solutions can develop to help everyone involved. We have been offering this successful workshop since 1992, preparing thousands to support others in resolving disputes through mediation.
Mediation Practicum: General District Court
Fulfills the observation requirement for General District Court Certification
Pre-requisite: Mediation Skills and Process or basic mediation training
This workshop fulfills the observation requirements for the General District Court certification and provides new mediators the opportunity to deepen their mediation skills.
Mentorship: General District Court – Co-mediations only
Fulfills the co-mediation requirement for General District Court Certification
Pre-requisites: Civil Mediation Practicum or 2 court observations
This workshop fulfills the observation requirements for the General District Court certification and provides new mediators the opportunity to deepen their mediation skills.
Orientation to the Virginia Judicial System
Required for General District Court, Circuit Court Civil, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Court Family Certifications
This course is essential for mediators who practice in Virginia, as it gives an overview of the Virginia judicial system and court-referred mediation programs.