Resolving Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Conflicts: A Comparison of the Practice of Mediation with Method-of-Levels Psychotherapy

This paper compares and analyzes two ostensibly disparate fields of professional practice: the mediation of disputes and a psychological therapy called Method of Levels (MOL). Mediators address interpersonal conflicts, while MOL therapists help clients cope with intrapersonal conflicts. The academic literatures of the two practices do not overlap. While the techniques of mediation have developed pragmatically from a variety of theoretical perspectives, MOL derives explicitly from a single psychological theory: perceptual control theory (PCT). The PCT account relies on understanding the nature of control, considering controlled experiences in a multi-leveled hierarchy from concrete (sensory perceptions) to abstract (values, ideals, principles), and appreciating the pivotal role of the depth and duration of present-moment awareness. We argue that, in spite of differences, the two fields of practice have many similarities, and we show how PCT works equally well to analyze the interpersonal conflicts addressed by mediation as the intrapersonal conflicts addressed by MOL, and thus, that the two kinds of conflict are closely related. We conclude that the two fields of practice can be of mutual benefit to each other and that PCT can provide a useful theoretical foundation for both.