The Power of Early Caucusing in Trauma-Informed Mediation
In high-stakes mediation settings, particularly within family, workplace, or community conflicts, participants often arrive with histories of trauma, distress, or prolonged emotional strain. Acknowledging this truth, trauma-informed mediation centers clients’ emotional safety, fosters collaboration, and supports effective outcomes.
One of the most powerful tools in this model is early caucusing—brief, private sessions with each party before the joint session begins. A 2023 study found early caucuses to significantly enhance mediation processes without compromising neutrality or time, while promoting emotional regulation and building trust. Early caucusing can provide an important opportunity for reflection and emotional regulation before joint sessions begin
Understanding Trauma-Informed Mediation
Trauma-informed mediation incorporates principles drawn from trauma-informed care models: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. These principles guide our approach to supporting individuals and families, particularly those with trauma histories, within a mediation context, and are all directly supported by early caucusing.
Rather than expecting participants to simply “push through” emotionally charged discussions, trauma-informed models recognize how prior experiences shape current behaviors and engagement. EC honors this by slowing the process down and centering each person's humanity.
What Is Early Caucusing?
Early Caucusing (EC) refers to short, individual meetings that a mediator conducts with each party immediately before a joint mediation session. These short meetings—often 15 to 60 minutes—set a foundation for the entire mediation. EC is not—like traditional ‘caucusing’ in mediation—a response to an impasse but a preventative measure to optimize the joint session from the outset.
Early caucuses provide:
Clarity about the mediation process
A chance to voice concerns before facing the other party
An opportunity to identify emotional triggers
A calm, human-centered beginning
In trauma-informed mediation, early caucusing is more than a procedural convenience. It’s a strategic, compassionate intervention that addresses the emotional stressors that often derail joint sessions. It helps participants feel seen, respected, and emotionally equipped to participate fully—especially when trust in systems or people has been eroded.
Why Early Caucusing Works
A 2023 study by Tanz, McClintock, and Kyritsi offers compelling support for integrating early caucusing into community and family mediation practices. The study examined the impact of early, private meetings with parties before joint sessions and found that this approach improved participant satisfaction, increased perceptions of fairness and understanding, and gave mediators a clearer picture of case dynamics.
Importantly, the study challenges longstanding concerns that early caucusing could undermine neutrality or reduce the effectiveness of joint sessions. Participants not only felt more respected, but also emotionally and procedurally more prepared to enter collaborative dialogue. These findings provide a strong empirical foundation for what trauma-informed mediators have long advocated: early, individualized preparation fosters clarity, trust, and emotional stability.
98% of party responses were positive
100% of mediator responses were positive
Early caucusing increased perceptions of being understood and respected
It did not compromise time for joint session or introduce mediator bias
As the study’s authors note,
“Concerns that early caucusing might bias mediators or shorten joint session time were decisively dispelled. In fact, participants who experienced early caucus reported feeling more understood and respected, while mediators gained essential insights into the emotional landscape and dynamics of the dispute in advance.”
The study’s findings significantly bolster the case for integrating early caucus into standard mediation practices, particularly trauma-informed approaches.
EC was shown to foster control, set a calm tone, and build rapport — three critical ingredients for effective mediation. These results indicate that early caucusing is not just compatible with but essential to emotionally safe and equitable mediation services.
5 Benefits of Early Caucusing
The study empirically supports several significant benefits of integrating EC into the mediation process. These benefits are not only procedural but also profoundly impact the emotional and psychological state of the disputants:
Counteracting Stressors and Promoting Calm: The study highlights the dangers of stress in early mediation moments—impairing memory, perception, and emotional regulation. Early caucusing interrupts this physiological stress build-up by allowing participants to relax before facing the other party. For example, in high-conflict custody mediations, even a few minutes of emotional decompression beforehand can help parents stay focused on shared goals.
Fostering a Sense of Control and Predictability: By explaining the mediation process in detail and outlining what to expect, mediators provide predictability, allowing parties to feel more prepared. This can be especially critical in community or housing-related disputes where residents may feel powerless in systems with uneven decision-making authority.
Building Rapport and Trust: Parties reported feeling more understood and respected after an EC. In fact, 49% of party comments cited rapport-building as a key benefit. This bond makes participants more willing to trust the process—and each other.
Facilitating Information Exchange and Understanding: This private setting allows individuals to ask questions they might be hesitant to raise in front of the other party. The Tanz study highlighted that parties recalled this time as when they best understood the mediation process—more so than during pre-session phone calls or opening statements.
Improving Settlement Rates: Research has found that settlement rates increased when mediations included a pre-mediation caucus focused on building trust and rapport.
Especially valuable in family disputes, early caucusing strengthens outcomes across all dispute resolution services, including workplace mediation, community mediation, and real estate or business mediation. EC provides parties to counteract power imbalances before they disrupt sessions.
In workplace settings, this might mean surfacing subtle fears around retaliation or job security. In landlord-tenant mediations, it can offer both sides a more neutral starting point to air grievances.
In every setting, trauma-informed mediation increases clarity, trust, and emotional accessibility
Preparing for a Trauma-Informed Mediation Session
Whether addressing a family dispute around caregiving, a community conflict over shared space, or a business disagreement involving long-standing tensions, preparation can help participants enter mediation with greater clarity, confidence, and emotional steadiness. In a trauma-informed model, early caucusing offers space to reflect, ground, and begin the process in a way that centers emotional safety and agency.
To make the most of early caucusing, participants can:
Identify and communicate current concerns or stressors such as power imbalances, emotional fatigue, or fear of escalation so the mediator can provide appropriate support.
Practice grounding techniques like deep breathing, orienting to the physical space, or silent mantras to help regulate the nervous system before and during the session.
Share emotional triggers or access needs, including lighting preferences, pacing, preferred language, or the presence of a support person.
Name personal goals and limits to clarify what you hope to resolve, what feels overwhelming, and what support you may need if emotions run high.
Use the time to ask process questions, from session structure to confidentiality limits, to reduce uncertainty and build trust in the process.
These actions support a more balanced, empowered experience—central goals in trauma-informed mediation.
Early Caucusing as a Trauma-Informed Best Practice
Early Caucusing aligns seamlessly with the principles and goals of Trauma-Informed Care, making it a best practice in mediation, and may be useful in family mediation settings. TIC is an organizational culture change process based on the assumption that clients’ personal histories shape perceptions of, responses to, and engagement in conflict and conflict resolution. Trauma-informed approaches center around five key principles: Safety, Trustworthiness and Transparency, Choice, Collaboration, and Empowerment. EC actively embodies each of these:
Safety: Early caucusing enhances trauma-informed mediation by promoting emotional and physical safety. It allows mediators to address stress responses, assess risks, and build trust—mitigating against the risk of re-traumatization and fostering a calmer, more secure environment before joint dialogue begins.
Trustworthiness and Transparency: Early caucusing fosters trust and transparency by offering a private space to explain the process, clarify expectations, and address concerns. This predictability reduces fear, builds confidence, and aligns with trauma-informed care by restoring a sense of safety and control.
Choice: Early caucusing supports client choice by reinforcing that mediation is voluntary and adaptable. It offers space to request accommodations, express concerns, and shape the process, empowering participants to advocate for their comfort, uphold autonomy, and engage from a place of control and clarity.
Collaboration: Early caucusing promotes collaboration by treating participants as active partners. It allows mediators to listen deeply, tailor the process, and support self-advocacy—honoring each person’s perspective and fostering a more constructive, respectful, and cooperative path toward resolution.
Empowerment: Early caucusing fosters empowerment by validating experiences, reducing stress, and helping clients engage with clarity and confidence. It levels power dynamics, supports emotional regulation, and strengthens participants’ ability to advocate for themselves throughout the mediation process.
In essence, EC transforms the initial phase of mediation into a preparatory space, proactively addressing potential stressors and familiarizing clients with the mediation process before joint sessions. By aligning with the five core principles of TIC, EC supports client well-being, fosters constructive engagement, and ultimately enhances the potential for equitable and lasting resolutions, making mediation a path to both healing and resolution.
Centering Humanity in Conflict Resolution
Early caucusing is a trauma-informed best practice. Its alignment with trauma-informed values of safety, empowerment, and collaboration makes EC a crucial tool for mediators seeking to create respectful, emotionally safe, and empowering experiences for participants. Whether navigating complex family dynamics, business conflicts, or sensitive community disputes, trauma-informed mediation, supported by early caucusing, offers a pathway to both resolution and repair. It transforms mediation from a procedural event into a space for healing, clarity, and forward movement.
In the hands of a skilled mediator, EC becomes more than logistics—it becomes an opportunity to center dignity, build connection, and lay the groundwork for meaningful change.
Our business offerings reflect a commitment to empathy, collaboration, and equitable solutions in resolving disputes and fostering inclusive environments. Our practice prioritizes client autonomy and empowerment.
Are you navigating a challenging dispute and seeking a compassionate, effective path to resolution? Contact us today to learn more about how our trauma-informed mediation services, including the benefits of early caucusing, can support you.