Category: Alaska

Alaska 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training

ALASKA / 40-HOUR ONLINE MEDIATION TRAINING

Alaska 40-Hour Mediation Training. Learn the skills. Explore the pathways.

Build practical mediation skills through VirNet's flexible, online 40-hour curriculum. Develop your ability to facilitate difficult conversations, identify interests, manage impasse, and help parties craft workable agreements.

Alaska does not have a single statewide license for private mediators. However, courts, family-related appointments, and professional organizations may have distinct qualifications. A course-completion certificate documents training—not a state-issued mediator credential or an appointment guarantee.

For court-connected or specialized work, verify the applicable qualifications and whether online basic training is accepted before enrolling.

40 hoursFoundational mediation training
10 modulesProgressive learning and practice
OnlineSelf-paced course access
3 optionsChoose your level of instruction

UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTIONS

What does 40-hour mediation training mean in Alaska?

Foundational education can support private mediation and professional development, but specialized roles may require more than basic training.

01 / EDUCATION

Learn the mediation process

Practice impartial facilitation, conflict assessment, active listening, option development, ethical judgment, and clear agreement drafting.

02 / PRIVATE PRACTICE

Build competence and credibility

Alaska does not issue one statewide license for private mediators. Training, supervised experience, subject-matter competence, and professional standards still matter.

03 / SPECIALIZED ROLES

Check additional criteria

Parenting coordinators, court-sponsored programs, and professional associations may evaluate training, professional background, experience, or additional coursework.

VirNet's certificate confirms course completion; it is not an Alaska Court System appointment, professional association membership, or independent state certification.

CHOOSE THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE THAT FITS YOU

One course. Three levels of support.

Every option includes the same 40-hour foundational curriculum. Select the amount of personal feedback and mentoring that aligns with your learning style and goals.

40-HOUR CERTIFICATE PATHWAY

Self-Directed

Full course access with independent study

$775

Complete the 10-module program on your schedule with lessons, assessments, practical simulations, and downloadable course resources. Individualized instructor grading or coaching is not included.

View course & enroll
FIVE PRIVATE COACHING SESSIONS

Private Coaching

Instructor feedback plus five private sessions

$3,275

Everything in Instructor-Guided, plus five one-on-one sessions with Dr. Earwicker to discuss your technique, professional goals, and growth as a mediator.

View course & enroll

Select a training option to review the full course details, current tuition, and enrollment instructions. Any applicable promotion will be displayed on the course enrollment page.

10 PROGRESSIVE MODULES

A comprehensive introduction to the practice of mediation.

The course progresses from foundational ideas to more complex simulations and professional applications. These five learning areas summarize the content across the ten course modules; they are not separate enrollment products.

01

Foundations and the mediator role

The purposes, principles, ethics, and major approaches of mediation.

02

Communication and negotiation

Listening, reframing, empathy, interest-based bargaining, and productive questioning.

03

Difficult situations and power

Impasse, strong emotions, de-escalation, cultural responsiveness, and participant safeguards.

04

Structure, agreements, and practice

Stages of a mediation, option development, drafting, and realistic simulations.

05

Professional pathways

Online dispute resolution, professional boundaries, practice planning, and ongoing development.

Want to inspect the actual lessons? Each course page includes a curriculum view and course details before enrollment.

View the existing course curriculum

ALASKA MEDIATION PATHWAYS

Apply mediation skills across Alaska's communities and organizations.

Different practice settings call for different preparation. Explore possible directions while checking each program's current expectations.

01

Private civil and business mediation

Foundational mediation skills can support consensual resolution of contractual, property, commercial, and neighborhood disputes, subject to the mediator's competence and the parties' agreement.

A private mediator's training certificate is not a substitute for legal advice, licensing in another profession, or specialized expertise.

02

Family and parenting-plan disputes

The Alaska Court System offers court-sponsored parenting-plan dispute resolution in certain custody and divorce cases, while parties may also retain private mediators.

Family cases demand additional attention to safety, power imbalances, domestic violence screening, and applicable court requirements.

03

Workplace and organizational dialogue

HR professionals, managers, educators, attorneys, and community leaders can use facilitation and negotiation skills to address workplace and organizational conflict.

Training develops skills; it does not itself establish a protected professional title or court-connected appointment.

04

Parenting coordination and advanced practice

Alaska Court System guidance identifies at least 40 hours of mediation training as one component of parenting coordinator preparation, alongside specialized training and relevant professional experience.

Basic training alone does not qualify someone to serve as a parenting coordinator.

Official resources: Parenting coordination guidance Court family mediation overview

ALASKA COURT AND PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

Know which standards apply to your intended role.

Alaska's mediation landscape does not use one statewide certification requirement for every mediator. Specific courts, programs, and associations set their own expectations.

COURT-ORDERED CIVIL MEDIATION

Civil Rule 100 governs the process

Alaska Civil Rule 100 addresses court-ordered mediation, including appointment, participation, procedure, confidentiality, and domestic-violence safeguards. It does not make every 40-hour course a court-approved credential.

Read Alaska Civil Rule 100 →
FAMILY AND PARENTING COORDINATION

Additional qualifications may apply

The Alaska Court System describes parenting coordinator qualifications that include at least 40 hours of mediation training, specialized parenting-coordination instruction, relevant family-related experience, and other competencies.

Review parenting coordinator qualifications →
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION

Membership is a separate decision

Professional Mediators of Alaska lists a 40-hour mediation course among its professional membership criteria, along with continuing training, mediation experience, adherence to standards, and liability insurance.

Review current membership criteria →

Neither Alaska court appointment nor Professional Mediators of Alaska membership is guaranteed by completing VirNet's training. Contact the relevant program to verify acceptance of this particular course and format.

NEED HELP CHOOSING?

Let's discuss your training goals.

Whether you are comparing the three course pathways or exploring how the training fits a particular role, we can explain the program and point you toward the questions to ask your local court or credentialing authority.

For a useful response, share your state, intended practice setting, and any specific training requirements you've been given.

General VirNet contact page

Ask about the 40-hour course

Have a question about learning format, guidance options, or state-specific needs? Our training inquiry form is available directly below this section.

For enrollment questions, include your city/state, intended mediation role, and the option you are considering.

Tell us about your goals, questions about the curriculum, or concerns about enrollment. If you are trying to meet a particular training requirement, please share what you have been told by the relevant court or organization.
Save and Resume Later
PRACTICE, REFLECT, IMPROVE

Practice difficult conversations before mediating real ones.

Interactive role-play is a distinctive part of the training. Through realistic, AI-assisted scenarios, you take the mediator's role, practice responding in real time, and reflect on the choices you made.

Scenarios increase in complexity as you advance, including workplace, interpersonal, and multifaceted disputes. They give you opportunities to experiment with questions, reframing, neutrality, and ways of moving a conversation forward.

The technology is a learning tool; it is not a substitute for supervised practice or any state-required live training component.

A PRACTICE-ORIENTED DESIGN

From understanding a technique to trying it.

  1. Study the skills and frameworks.
  2. Apply them in an interactive scenario.
  3. Reflect on what happened and what you would adjust.
  4. Receive additional instructor feedback if your tier includes it.

ALASKA LAW AND ETHICAL PRACTICE

Protect confidentiality. Screen for safety. Support informed decisions.

Alaska Civil Rule 100(g) addresses confidentiality in court-ordered civil mediation. It provides for private proceedings and limits mediator testimony, while preserving duties imposed by statute. Do not assume identical protections apply automatically to every private mediation.

In family matters, Alaska law and court rules place particular importance on domestic-violence safeguards. Mediators should assess suitability, safety, voluntariness, and power imbalances before and throughout the process.

Training should also reinforce impartiality, conflicts screening, party self-determination, informed consent, and clear, implementable agreements.

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Learn from the mediator who built the course.

Dr. Benjamin J. Earwicker brings together hands-on mediation, civil rights and organizational dispute resolution, and years of teaching negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. All three enrollment paths share his 40-hour curriculum; the Instructor-Guided and Private Coaching options add individualized instruction.

Explore Dr. Earwicker's professional background
Dr. Ben Earwicker, J.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Earwicker brings experience in conflict resolution, administrative dispute processes, higher education, and mediation training. He has taught negotiation and alternative dispute resolution at the University of Idaho College of Law and developed the curriculum used in VirNet's online 40-hour course. His professional experience informs a practical approach: establish a trustworthy process, understand the dynamics beneath a dispute, give participants meaningful choices, and help them evaluate workable options. For students who want additional instruction, the Instructor-Guided and Private Coaching tiers provide direct access to Dr. Earwicker's individualized feedback.
Teacher courses:
Dr. Ben Earwicker, J.D., Ph.D.

40-Hour Basic Mediation Certification - Instructor-Guided

Achieve your 40-hour basic mediation skills training with instructor review and feedback from Dr. Earwicker twice in each of th...
29
62 Lectures
40 Hours
Dr. Ben Earwicker, J.D., Ph.D.

40-Hour Basic Mediation Certification - Self-Directed

Complete your 40-hour basic mediation skills training online and on-demand, with in-course support and resources you can utiliz...
70
62 Lectures
40 Hours
Dr. Ben Earwicker, J.D., Ph.D.

40-Hour Basic Mediation Certification - Private Coaching

Achieve your 40-hour basic mediation skills training with instructor review and feedback from Dr. Earwicker twice in each of th...
9
62 Lectures
40 Hours
REAL STUDENT EXPERIENCES

Hear from people who completed the training.

Students describe their experiences with the self-paced format, interactive role-play simulations, curriculum progression, and personal feedback. Browse their full comments below to see which aspects of the program mattered most to them.

Testimonials reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee any particular outcome or professional credential.

ALASKA MEDIATION TRAINING FAQ

Questions about training and practice in Alaska.

Understand what foundational training provides—and what to confirm before pursuing specialized roles.

Does Alaska require a statewide mediator license?

Alaska does not have a single statewide license for private mediators. Courts, programs, employers, and professional associations may still impose training, experience, insurance, or other requirements for specific work.

Will this course certify me as an Alaska mediator?

No. VirNet provides a certificate of course completion, not a state-issued mediator license, a court appointment, or professional association membership.

Can I use the 40 hours toward parenting coordinator qualifications?

The Alaska Court System lists at least 40 hours of mediation training among several parenting coordinator qualifications. Other training, experience, and professional background requirements apply. Confirm that the relevant decision-maker accepts VirNet's particular course and delivery format before enrolling for that purpose.

Does Alaska offer court-sponsored family mediation?

Yes. The Alaska Court System describes parenting-plan dispute resolution in certain custody and divorce matters. Court-sponsored services and private mediation have different procedures and participation requirements.

Are mediation conversations confidential in Alaska?

Alaska Civil Rule 100 provides protections for court-ordered civil mediation, subject to its terms and statutory duties. Confidentiality in private or other program settings depends on the applicable law, rules, and agreements. Ask about the scope and limits before mediation begins.

Does the course qualify me for Professional Mediators of Alaska membership?

The association identifies a 40-hour mediation course as one component of professional membership, but it also lists additional experience, training, ethical commitments, and insurance requirements. The association decides membership eligibility; completion of this course does not guarantee acceptance.

Can I complete the training online while living anywhere in Alaska?

VirNet's online format is designed for remote access, including communities beyond Alaska's major population centers. Confirm your technology access and review any in-person or live-session requirements imposed by the program you hope to join.

This information is educational, not legal advice or an eligibility determination. Court rules and professional program requirements can change; verify current standards with the relevant organization.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Answers before you enroll.

Learn what the program includes, what a completion certificate means, and what additional steps might apply in your jurisdiction.

Is the course entirely online?

Yes. The foundational course is offered online and on demand, with video learning materials, assignments, quizzes, and interactive practice exercises. Confirm any synchronous or in-person requirements imposed by your intended court or certification program.

How do the three enrollment options differ?

All three include the complete curriculum. Self-Directed is independent study. Instructor-Guided includes feedback on two assignments in each of ten modules. Private Coaching adds five individual coaching sessions with Dr. Earwicker.

Do I need a legal degree or prior mediation experience?

No particular professional degree is required to enroll in this foundational course. Certain courts or specialized programs may impose additional qualifications for their own rosters or credentials.

Will I earn a certificate?

A certificate of completion is available after successful completion of the program and its requirements. It documents training completion and is not itself a government license, court appointment, or guarantee of eligibility.

Will this qualify me to mediate for courts in my state?

Possibly, but not automatically. Court-connected programs may require approved training providers, specific instructional formats, subject-matter instruction, screening, mentoring, or separate applications. Verify the exact jurisdiction and roster requirements before enrolling for that purpose.

Can I start a private mediation practice after the course?

The course builds foundational skills and introduces professional pathways, but starting a practice also requires careful attention to ethical duties, local rules, business formation, insurance considerations, and the scope of services offered.

How do the interactive role-play exercises work?

Students work through realistic, AI-assisted practice conversations while taking the mediator role, then reflect on the communication and process choices they made. Guided tiers add personalized review as described in the course.

Can I study on evenings or weekends?

Yes. The online curriculum is self-paced, making it possible to organize study around professional and family schedules. Individual coaching appointments in the Private Coaching option must be arranged.

What if I have questions about my state or enrollment?

Review the relevant court or program requirements and contact VirNet with your state and intended mediation role. We can explain the course format, but final eligibility and recognition decisions belong to the governing authority.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Start building your mediation skills.

One 40-hour curriculum, three ways to learn, and a practical focus on the conversations mediators actually navigate. Choose your preferred level of support and review the course before enrolling.

1 … 5 6 7