“I need clear facts in order to be most helpful. Even though the situation may be clear to you (the client or the mediator), it may not be clear to others who are involved. So I am going to be asking...

“I need clear facts in order to be most helpful. Even though the situation may be clear to you (the client or the mediator), it may not be clear to others who are involved. So I am going to be asking factual questions, such as how many or how often, in order to get as clear a picture of the situation as possible. It is similar to a medical person using a thermometer to get the facts about your temperature, even though you are sure you have a fever. Some of the questions I will be asking will be like a social thermometer in order to get the facts about your personal or social situation.”