Texas Mediator Field Study 2025
Findings from Interviews with Practicing Mediators Across the State
DRAFT: Not for general distribution (11/01/2025)
All images via Unsplash, used with permission.
Abstract
This study explores the experiences, challenges, and best practices of mediators practicing throughout Texas in 2025, aiming to provide insights into current trends and inform future training and policy development. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of mediators across urban and rural settings.
I. Study Overview
This summary consolidates findings from a series of structured interviews conducted with Texas mediators at varying stages of experience. The goal was to identify recurring challenges that affect both entry-level and established practitioners.
The insights reveal a profession deeply committed to service and ethics but constrained by structural gaps in business support, mentorship, and sustainable practice development.
6
Median Experience
years
60%
Urban Distribution
30% rural
60%
Volunteer-Based
primarily volunteer practice
20%
Primary Income
from mediation
58
Total Interviews
conducted
Methodology
Between March and August 2025, interviews were conducted with 50+ Texas mediators representing a cross-section of experience, regions, and practice types. The majority of the interviews were via video with automated note-taking and transcripts; one was via email, and one was via phone (no recording or transcript, only written notes).
Interviewees were sourced from TMCA/TAM membership and personal referrals by other interviewees. This likely skews the results toward those communities.
The transcripts were analyzed for sentiment scoring and key themes using custom Python scripts and ollama (Dolphin3), a local (non-cloud-based) LLM, to protect confidentiality.
Transcripts were further tagged and analyzed by hand over the months of September and October for qualitative and quantitative signals.
II. Common Challenges by Career Stage
III. Key Findings
This section outlines the primary insights gathered from mediators across different career stages, highlighting common themes and distinctions in their professional experiences.
Career Trajectories
Examining the initial steps and long-term growth for mediators, from certification to scaling operations.
Marketing & Outreach
Understanding how mediators attract clients, build professional networks, and navigate digital marketing.
Technology Integration
Exploring the adoption of virtual platforms and specialized tools to enhance mediation services.
Emotional Resilience
Addressing the psychological demands of mediation and the need for emotional support systems.
1. The Business Gap
  • 70% of mediators cited "no idea how to build a practice" or set pricing as their top frustration post-training.
  • Many training programs end abruptly at certification, offering no bridge to practice management, marketing, or income generation.

Recommendation: The Texas mediation field might benefit from more structured business education or a more repeatable path to sustainability for private practice.
2. The Mentorship Disconnect
80%
Interest in Mentorship
expressed interest in receiving or providing mentorship or supervision
  • New mediators are uncertain about reaching out to senior practitioners
  • Senior practitioners assume newer mediators "aren't interested"

Recommendation: Formal mentorship programs exist but are underutilized. The missing piece from interviews seemed to be awareness and a structured plan, not a lack of interest or availability.
3. The Referral Problem
Word-of-Mouth Dominance
90% of mediators rely on word-of-mouth as their dominant source of clients, yet few described systematizing it.
Network Advantage
Referrals skew heavily toward those with preexisting legal or community networks.

Recommendation: Referrals favor the well-connected. A systematic approach to building new referral relationships might be a beneficial section for training programs.
4. The Isolation Spiral
  • Two-thirds of respondents described feeling professionally isolated.
  • Many noted that peer contact only happens during continuing education events and conferences.

Recommendation: Peer connection is treated by many as optional enrichment, not professional maintenance. More regional or practice group community infrastructure might encourage better involvement and connection.
5. The Emotional Toll
Many mediators handle repeated exposure to anger, grief, and loss.
Several described stress and a desire for a practice similar to that for therapists receiving therapy, where practitioners have someone to help them work through these challenges.

Recommendation: Support systems like peer supervision, reflective practice, or therapy could be encouraged and normalized within the profession.
IV. Regional and Demographic Insights
V. Thematic Patterns
Hidden Infrastructure
Tools, mentorships, and networks exist but remain underused or invisible.
Fragmented Field Identity
No consistent language or brand for Texas mediation; mediators self-identify differently.
Dependence on Volunteering
"Paying dues" through volunteerism encourages community values, but can also delay sustainability and may discourage retention over time.
Professional Modesty
Cultural reluctance toward marketing suppresses awareness of mediation's impact.
VI. Recommendations
01
Bridge Training to Practice
Add business, outreach, and practice setup modules to 40-hour training and continuing education where it is not already offered.
02
Mentorship & Peer Cohorts
Establish structured statewide mentor pairings and peer supervision groups. Regional approaches may run into scarcity.
03
Referral Development Systems
Provide templates and guidance for content and organic marketing presence, case studies, and referral pipelines.
04
Professional Community Infrastructure
Build regional mediator associations with regular networking, shared templates, and ongoing mentorship complementary to state-wide offerings.
05
Wellness Integration
Normalize reflective practice, constructive peer check-ins, and therapy or counseling as a part of continuing education.
VII. Quantitative Snapshot
VIII. Moving Forward
1
Short-Term Focus
Awareness and connection. Make the invisible visible for networks, mentors, and templates that already exist.
2
Mid-Term Focus
Infrastructure. Support local hubs or regional associations that handle mentorship, referrals, and shared resources.
3
Long-Term Focus
Identity. Continue ongoing progress through TAM, TMCA, and the State and local Bar Associations in defining "Texas Mediation" as a cohesive profession with clear pathways, recognition, and sustainability.
Conclusion
The mediation profession attracts individuals with strong ethics and empathy, but some career development and support systems remain unimplemented or under-realized. Building a sustainable ecosystem for Texas mediators may benefit from:
  1. Clearer career pathways and mentorship frameworks.
  1. Accessible tools for marketing, administration, and case management.
  1. Emotional and peer support systems to sustain long-term engagement.
Until those needs are met, mediators will continue to rely on their personal resilience and goodwill, resources they have in abundance, but which are ultimately finite.
For feedback or questions, contact:
Bill Glover
✉️ [email protected] | 🔗 linkedin.com/in/billglover