Advanced Mediation Practicum

Deepen Your Practice Through Reflection, Peer Learning, and Real Case Work

An AMDRAS-aligned Practicum Certificate course for experienced mediators who want to strengthen their judgment, test their thinking with peers, and work towards Advanced Mediator (Level 2) accreditation.

You will receive a full online advanced mediation course you work through in your own time, then attend a live peer reflection session led by experienced facilitators.

What Makes This Program Different:

A Full Online Course, Included

Three modules of video lessons and reflective questions on the topics that matter most to advanced practice: reflective practice, ethical decision making, and inclusive practice. Work through them at your own pace and keep them as a resource.

Real Cases, Real Peers

You present a de-identified case from your own practice and engage in a process of self and peer reflection with a small group of experienced practitioners and an expert facilitator.

Reflective Practice at the Centre

The course is built on the idea that experience alone does not make an expert. Examined experience does. You will build habits you can carry into every mediation.

Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion

Fair process is not the same as identical process. You will look closely at the assumptions built into how mediation is usually done, and how to adapt without lowering your standards.

Small Cohorts

Places are limited so the peer work stays meaningful and everyone has time to present and be heard.

Flexible Formats

In person, live online, or a blend of both. Choose the option that fits your practice and your schedule.

The Online Learning Component

Alongside the live peer reflection and case study work, every participant receives access to a structured online course. You move through it at your own pace, on your own schedule, and return to it whenever you want.

The online course covers three areas, each with video lessons and a set of reflective questions drawn from current scholarship and real practice.

Module One: Reflective Practice

The difference between repeating experience and learning from it. This module works through reflection as the path to advanced practice, the spiral versus the loop, the move from competence to artistry, and single and double loop learning. It draws on the work of Lang, Schön, and Argyris.

Module Two: Ethical Decision Making

A clear method for working through the hard calls. This module covers personal and professional ethics, the sources mediators can draw on, Shapiro's minimum ethical standards, Bush's categories of ethical dilemmas, and an eight-step decision making process you can apply under pressure.

Module Three: Diversity and Inclusive Practice

Equality versus equity, culture as inquiry rather than a checklist, cultural reflexivity, neurodiversity, and how to adapt your process to support meaningful participation for everyone in the room.

This content is yours to keep. It supports your written reflection during the course and stays available to you afterwards.

How the Course Works

Knowing the shape of the commitment helps you plan

Step 1

Work through the online modules

Watch the video lessons and respond to the reflective questions in your own time. This prepares the ground so your time with peers goes further.

Step 2

Attend the live sessions

Join your cohort in person or online, depending on the format you choose.

Step 3

Present a case study

Give a 30-minute de-identified presentation about a real session you have facilitated, focused on a challenging moment and what it revealed about your knowledge, skills, and ethics.

Step 4

Take part in group discussion

Receive reflective questions and feedback from your peers and facilitators.

Step 5

Submit a written reflection

Within seven days of your presentation, submit an 800–1000 word reflective practice blog. For Advanced Practicum Certificate purposes, this is assessed as satisfactory.

The full course runs to 12 hours and is built to align with AMDRAS Practicum Certificate requirements.

 

What You Will Learn

The course is anchored to the AMDRAS Professional Attributes. Across the program you will:

Identify practice challenges

Recognise the obstacles that arise in complex mediation and the approaches that help you work through them.

Strengthen your skills

Examine your interventions and process choices, and consider how a different question, reframe, or pause might have served the parties better.

Apply ethical reasoning

Work through competing responsibilities using a structured decision making process you can rely on when a complaint or a hard call arises.

Develop as a reflective practitioner

Build the habits of a mindful, reflective mediator who keeps growing rather than repeating the same patterns.

Choose Your Format

All formats cover the same content and lead to the same Practicum Certificate. Choose the one that suits you.

Face-to-Face Intensives​

Two consecutive days of in-person learning, plus the online course. Sessions run 9am to 4pm.

Adelaide: 19 & 20 September 

Brisbane: 29 & 30 October

Hybrid

In-person learning combined with a live Zoom session and the online modules.

Cairns: 25 July 

Brisbane: 12 August

Canberra: 21 October

Melbourne: 20 November


Two-Day Online Intensive​

Two days of focused live learning delivered online, plus the online modules. Sessions run 9am to 4pm.

Option 1: 27 and 28 August

Option 2: 6 and 13 November

Investment

Standard Registration

$1,400

Early Bird Registration

$1,000

(available until 4 weeks before the practicum date)

We keep cohorts small and the peer work personal. Payment plans are available on request.

What's Included

Full access to the three-module online course: video lessons and reflective questions on Reflective Practice, Ethical Decision Making, and Diversity and Inclusive Practice
A live peer reflection and case study session led by experienced facilitators
A course workbook to support your learning during and beyond the program
Access to The Mediator's Dilemma series webinar recordings and selected readings
Structured written reflection assessed against the AMDRAS Professional Attributes
Ongoing access to the online course after the program finishes
A Practicum Certificate on satisfactory completion

Your Facilitators

You will learn from a team of experienced mediation practitioners and educators.

Dr Judith Rafferty

Judith is a conflict resolution trainer, practitioner, and researcher. She has extensive experience developing and delivering conflict management training across Australia and internationally. She has worked with vulnerable populations in conflict and post-conflict settings, bringing evidence-based insights into practical, accessible training for diverse professional and community context.

Dr Claire Holland

Claire is a dispute resolution specialist with a background spanning workplace, commercial, and community mediation. Her research focuses on reflective practice and the development of mediator expertise. Claire is known for her engaging facilitation style and her ability to translate complex theoretical concepts into practical insights for practitioners.

Dr Samantha Hardy

Samantha is the founder of The Conflict Management Academy and an internationally recognised expert in conflict coaching and mediation training. With over three decades of experience, she has trained thousands of mediators and conflict resolution professionals. Samantha brings particular expertise in advanced mediation theory and the integration of coaching approaches into mediation practice.

Sarah Blake

Sarah is an experienced mediator and trainer with particular strengths in workplace mediation and organisational conflict. Her practical, grounded approach to teaching draws on years of frontline mediation experience across multiple sectors.

What Participants Are Saying

Who This Is For

This course is designed for experienced mediators who want to deepen their practice or work towards AMDRAS Advanced Mediator (Level 2) accreditation.

To use this course towards Advanced Mediator status, you generally need to have been accredited for at least four years and meet the other AMDRAS requirements. If you are not sure whether you are eligible, contact us before you enrol and we will help you work it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to bring a case study?

Yes. Both assessment tasks are built around a real mediation or dispute resolution session you have facilitated. The case must be de-identified, with no names or details that could identify the parties.

How much time will it take?

The course runs to 12 hours of live learning, plus the self-paced online modules and the time you spend preparing your case presentation and writing your reflection.

What if I have been accredited for less than four years?

You are welcome to take the course for professional development. If you are seeking Advanced Mediator status, contact us first so we can check your eligibility.

What do I need for the online sessions?

A reliable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone, and a quiet space. Live online sessions run on Zoom. [Confirm platform and any technical requirements.]

Is the written reflection compulsory?

The written reflection is the formally assessed task for the Advanced Practicum Certificate. The case presentation is required for completion but is not formally assessed.

Ready to Advance Your Practice?

Places are limited to keep cohorts small and the peer work meaningful. Choose your format and secure your place.

Occasionally, after submitting an order, you may see an “Order Not Found” page. Please do not re-order, as your order has gone through and you should receive a confirmation email shortly.
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$1,540.00
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Advanced Mediation Practicum - (AUGUST) Two-Day Online Intensive​  × 1 $1,400.00
Subtotal $1,400.00
Tax $140.00
Total $1,540.00

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Product Subtotal
Advanced Mediation Practicum - (AUGUST) Two-Day Online Intensive​  × 1 $1,400.00
Subtotal $1,400.00
Tax $140.00
Total $1,540.00

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