ONLINE + ON-DEMAND / PRACTICAL MEDIATION EDUCATION

40-Hour Mediation Training. Learn the skills. Practice the process.

Build a strong foundation in mediation through a structured, interactive 40-hour online course developed and taught by Dr. Benjamin J. Earwicker. Learn at your pace, practice in realistic simulations, and choose how much personalized guidance you want along the way.

A foundational training certificate is not the same as a court appointment, state credential, or permission to practice in a regulated program. Verify applicable requirements before enrolling.

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

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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.

THE EXPERIENCE

The flexibility of online learning, with opportunities to actually mediate.

Moving through this course is more than watching videos. Structured instruction, knowledge checks, realistic simulations, and reflection activities help connect mediation concepts to concrete decisions and conversations.

You can work through the self-paced curriculum wherever you have reliable internet access. If you select guided instruction or coaching, the program also incorporates individualized feedback and mentorship as described in your enrollment tier.

Inside the course

  • Video lessons explaining mediation principles and practical techniques
  • Readings, downloadable outlines, and supplemental learning resources
  • Quizzes and exercises to reinforce each topic
  • Interactive, AI-assisted practice conversations
  • Reflection and application assignments
  • A final evaluation and certificate process after completing required coursework
SKILLS WITH REAL-WORLD APPLICATION

What you will learn to do.

Good mediation is both a thoughtful process and a set of skills that improve with practice. The curriculum develops these capabilities together.

01

Listen beyond positions

Identify emotions, interests, assumptions, and information gaps without prematurely choosing sides.

02

Guide a clear process

Practice introductions, issue identification, negotiation, impasse management, and appropriate closure.

03

Respond to challenging dynamics

Work thoughtfully with frustration, power differences, difficult conversations, and cultural context.

04

Develop practical options

Support brainstorming, evaluation of proposals, and careful agreement development.

05

Build professional habits

Explore ethics, neutrality, preparation, boundaries, and pathways for continuing mediator development.

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
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.
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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.
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
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.

IMPORTANT BEFORE YOU ENROLL

A 40-hour training certificate is a foundation, not automatic state certification.

After successfully completing the program's requirements, students may obtain a certificate documenting completion of the 40-hour basic mediation training. What that certificate qualifies you to do depends on the court, program, employer, or jurisdiction.

Some court-connected programs require specific approved providers, live or synchronous instruction, observed exercises, subject-specific training, mentoring, supervised cases, or additional credentials. Private mediation practice and eligibility for a court roster may have different requirements.

Before enrolling for a particular credential, compare the course format with the current requirements of the relevant state, court, or roster administrator. Written confirmation from that authority is preferable when requirements are unclear.

WHO ENROLLS

Designed for professionals from many backgrounds.

People begin mediation training for different reasons. Some hope to develop a private practice; others want to bring stronger conflict-resolution tools into the work they already do.

Law and dispute resolution

Attorneys, paralegals, legal professionals, and people exploring dispute-resolution careers.

Human services and counseling

Social workers, counselors, therapists, and community practitioners who want mediation-specific skills.

Leadership and organizations

HR professionals, managers, business owners, educators, and nonprofit leaders.

Career changers and independent learners

People with transferable experience who want a structured introduction to mediation.

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.

Courses

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Achieve your 40-hour basic mediation skills training with instructor review and feedback from Dr. Earwicker twice in each of the course's 10 modules.
Basic Mediation Training
62 Lectures
40 Hours
$3,499 $3,275
Complete your 40-hour basic mediation skills training online and on-demand, with in-course support and resources you can utilize in your mediation ...
Basic Mediation Training
62 Lectures
40 Hours
Achieve your 40-hour basic mediation skills training with instructor review and feedback from Dr. Earwicker twice in each of the course's 10 modules.
Basic Mediation Training
62 Lectures
40 Hours
$1,599 $1,475