Manousso Mediation

What Manousso Mediation does

Manousso Mediation and Arbitration, LLC is a woman-owned alternative dispute resolution (ADR) firm founded in 1993 by Dr. Barbara Sunderland Manousso and headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company operates two integrated business lines: (1) professional mediation and arbitration training delivered via live interactive ZOOM, offering five certificate programs (Basic 40-hour, Advanced Family/Divorce 30-hour, Elder Care 20-hour, Arbitration 9-hour, and Parenting Coordination/Facilitation 16-18-hour) priced at $525-$975 with MCLE/CEU credit approval from the State Bar of Texas, CPA, LPC, HR, and social work bodies; and (2) direct mediation services ($150-$300/hour per party) and conflict resolution coaching ($2,100 per CDP-based package) for family/divorce, elder care, commercial, and corporate disputes. The technology foundation is straightforward: ZOOM for live interactive training, third-party scheduling and payment (PayPal), and the Eckerd Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) for executive coaching assessments. The firm holds TMTR accreditation, TMCA credentialing, and serves on panels for Harris County courts, EEOC, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Department of Labor, FINRA, and the Houston Better Business Bureau. Its GTM combines live ZOOM delivery nationally and internationally, professional association sponsorships (TAM since 1994, ACR, AFCC, TMTR), referral-based demand from courts and government panels, and direct outreach to corporations and government agencies for ombudsman and training programs. The team is small, with Dr. Manousso as CEO, Melissa Back McAlpine (JD) as co-director, and a lecturer panel of 7-11 ADR professionals per course. The company is profitable on a cash basis but operates as a lifestyle professional services firm rather than a venture-scalable business.

Name

Manousso Mediation

Legal name

Manousso Mediation and Arbitration, LLC

Website

https://manousso.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manousso Mediation and Arbitration is a Houston-based, woman-owned ADR firm offering five certificate training programs (Basic, Family/Divorce, Elder Care, Arbitration, Parenting Coordination) via live ZOOM, plus direct mediation and executive coaching services, primarily serving Texas attorneys, HR professionals, and families in dispute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Mediation training
• Arbitration services
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Family mediation
• Elder care mediation

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Professional Mediation and Arbitration Training: Revenue from 40-hour basic mediation training ($975), advanced 30-hour family/divorce mediation ($895), elder care mediation ($600-$750), arbitration ($550), and parenting coordination training ($525). Includes MCLE/CEU credits for attorneys, CPAs, LPCs, social workers, and HR professionals. Delivered via live interactive ZOOM.
2. Mediation and Arbitration Services: Direct mediation services at $300/hour ($150/hour per party for two parties). Full-day rate at $1,200 per party for 8 hours. Partial-day minimum at $450 per party for 3 hours. Covers family/divorce, elder care, commercial, and corporate disputes.
3. Conflict Resolution Coaching: Individual executive coaching using the Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP) assessment, including a 2-hour feedback session and three 1-hour coaching sessions for $2,100. Additional sessions at $300/hour. Corporate group sessions available at negotiated rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Manousso Mediation delivers accredited alternative dispute resolution (ADR) training through five certificate programs (Basic 40-hour, Advanced Family/Divorce 30-hour, Elder Care 20-hour, Arbitration 9-hour, and Parenting Coordination 16-18 hour) and provides direct mediation, conflict resolution coaching, and ombudsman services for family, divorce, elder care, commercial, and corporate disputes. Programs are MCLE/CEU approved for attorneys, CPAs, LPCs, social workers, and HR professionals, and are delivered live via interactive ZOOM.

Product overview

Manousso Mediation and Arbitration offers a comprehensive portfolio of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services and professional training programs. The company provides five certificate training programs: Basic Mediation (40 hours), Advanced Family and Divorce Mediation (30 hours), Elder and Adult Care Mediation (20 hours), Arbitration Training (9 hours), and Parenting Coordinators and Facilitators Training (16-18 hours). In addition to training, the company offers direct mediation services including family and divorce mediation, elder care mediation, conflict resolution coaching, and ombudsman services. Training programs are approved for MCLE/CEU credits for attorneys, CPAs, LPCs, social workers, and HR professionals, and are delivered via ZOOM interactive online sessions. The company operates from Houston, Texas, and serves clients nationally and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Mediation Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Mediation costs typically $900 for up to 4 hours, compared to years of litigation costing tens of thousands of dollars
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Our Family WizardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManousso Mediation is a proud partner of Our Family Wizard, a co-parenting communication platform. Manousso lecturers partner with Our Family Wizard's lecture team to provide training resources for high-conflict families using the platform.
• Houston Area Better Business BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManousso Mediation is a member of and trainer for the Houston Area Better Business Bureau. Works closely with BBB's Autoline and Arbitration programs. Faculty includes BBB ADR coordinators as lecturers for arbitration training.
• Texas Association of Mediators (TAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAM member and sponsor since 1994. Dr. Manousso is the 2019 Adams Award recipient. Melissa Back is immediate past president. The organization is a primary professional affiliation and referral source. Annual TAM conference sponsorships.
• Texas Mediators Trainers Round Table (TMTR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManousso Mediation is a TMTR-accredited training provider. Melissa Back serves as co-convener of TMTR. Dr. Manousso is a member of the train-the-trainer program. Training programs meet TMTR standards for mediation certification.
• Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Houston ChaptercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Manousso is past president of ACR Houston Chapter. Melissa Back is immediate past president. The chapter awarded Dr. Manousso the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. Graduate Victoria McClain elected as 2025-2026 ACR International President.
• Association for Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Manousso is an annual sponsor of AFCC. The organization is a key professional association for family mediation and parenting coordination services.
• Heights Mediation CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHeights Mediation Center is a partner training venue — a modern facility dedicated to ADR meetings where Manousso Mediation invites clients for mediation and arbitration sessions.
• Texas Justice Center for Mediation and ArbitrationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTexas Justice Center in Bellaire off I-610 West Loop is a partner training venue used for in-person ADR meetings and training sessions.
• University of St. Thomas – Center for International StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Manousso is professor of Global Conflict Management at the University of St. Thomas. Melissa Back and other faculty co-teach at the university. The company sponsors Distinguished Diplomat Annual meetings at the Center for International Studies.
• University of Texas Consortium on AgingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Manousso and her students appointed as associate member of the University of Texas Health Consortium on Aging in 2012. Collaborative relationship for elder care mediation research and training.
• South Texas College of Law – Judge Evans Center for MediationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Manousso serves as director of the Judge Evans Center for Mediation at South Texas College of Law, providing a platform for ADR education and professional development at the law school.
• Houston Area Woman's Center (HAWC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Manousso has supported the Houston Area Woman's Center for decades through leadership campaigns and charitable donations funded by student tuition contributions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: JAMS is the largest private alternative dispute resolution provider in the U.S., offering mediation, arbitration, and ADR training across multiple practice areas. It is comparable to Manousso Mediation as a direct competitor in the ADR services market, though at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• American Arbitration Association (AAA): AAA is a long-established national ADR organization providing arbitration, mediation, and educational/training programs for neutrals across all major practice areas. It overlaps with Manousso's arbitration training and mediation services but operates as a much broader, multi-state institution rather than a Texas-focused training boutique.

Direct peers

• Mediate.com: Mediate.com is a leading online mediation directory, training resource, and content platform for mediators and ADR professionals. It overlaps with Manousso's mediator training and thought-leadership content (podcasts, articles) and serves as both a marketing channel and indirect competitor for online mediation training audiences.
• CDR Associates: CDR Associates is a Boulder, Colorado-based conflict resolution and mediation training firm offering customized training, organizational conflict work, and public-policy mediation. It is comparable to Manousso in offering multi-day mediation training certificates and corporate/government conflict resolution consulting.
• National Center for Mediation & Training (NCMT): NCMT provides mediation training and direct mediation services for family, civil, and commercial matters with a multi-state orientation. It is comparable to Manousso's certificate training programs and direct mediation service model, particularly in the family/divorce mediation niche.
• McCormack ADR / Center for Dispute Resolution (UMass Boston): The Center for Dispute Resolution at UMass Boston is a leading academic provider of mediation training certificates and conflict resolution education. It is comparable to Manousso's structured certificate training approach and faculty-based delivery model, with comparable durations and CEU-eligible curriculum.

Others

• Texas Credentialing Association (TMCA): TMCA is a Texas-based mediator credentialing body that Manousso holds membership in. It is adjacent rather than competing — it sets standards and credentials mediators while Manousso delivers the training that feeds the credentialed mediator pipeline.
• Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR): ACR is the largest U.S. membership organization for conflict resolution professionals, with chapters that provide training, conferences, and credentialing. Manousso is closely affiliated (founder past president of Houston Chapter, graduate now ACR International President), making ACR both a partner and a source of overlapping training content.
• Texas Association of Mediators (TAM): TAM is the primary professional association for Texas mediators and a long-standing partner/sponsor of Manousso since 1994. While not a direct training competitor, TAM provides directory listings, conferences, and continuing education that overlap with Manousso's training and referral ecosystem.

Regional players

• Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta (BHDA) Family Law / Houston Family Mediation: BHDA is a Texas-based family law firm offering divorce mediation, collaborative law, and family dispute resolution services in the Houston/Austin region. It is a regional peer competing for the same Houston family/divorce mediation client base that Manousso serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HoustonMediator
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLd2rePqDqqkNr41RHGh0KTe7Aqq_udGpc
• Facebookfacebook.com/ManoussoMediation

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manousso Mediation