Debora Gama Lima was a general surgeon and working as a performance consultant for physicians when a case sent her career in a different direction. It was a medical malpractice case for one of her clients that left such an emotional toll on all the parties even beyond the tragic medical outcomes.
“Navigating the claim was deeply traumatic for everyone,” she says. “I saw the cost of conflict and was inspired to explore ways to help people resolve disputes with dignity.”
She attended a training program at Boston Children’s, which was designed to replace a traditional malpractice strategy with principles grounded in mediation. Afterward, she did her mediation training with the Arizona AG’s Office and became a volunteer mediator for Maricopa County. Today, she has a dedicated family mediation practice.
AALM: What drew you to mediation in particular?
DGL: This work feels like a natural extension of caring. Surgery is about repairing the body, but being a physician has always meant more than that—it’s about walking alongside patients through their most challenging moments and while building a human connection. Mediation offers something the legal court rarely can: a voice and a choice. It gives both parties a space to be heard, to express what matters most to them, and to work toward solutions that they create.
AALM: Tell us about the mediation and consulting firm you launched.
DGL: Out of a desire to achieve a better work-life balance as my children were growing up, I left my more-than-full-time general surgery practice to commit to this endeavor: 4Vim Consulting. I pursued formal certifications in the field and began volunteering as a mediator at the Maricopa County Justice Court. I have since mediated hundreds of civil cases. Encouraged by success in small-claims cases, I worked to become a certified family divorce mediator. The overarching goal is to prevent marriages that didn’t work out from turning into battles, especially over children and money. Another aspect of our firm is that we collaborate with financial specialists to provide expert advice in an area that is often the most significant stressor in the divorce process.
AALM: Tell us about your work with Compassion Institute.
DGL: Compassion Cultivation Training is an evidence-based program developed at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. Its purpose is to help individuals strengthen compassion for themselves and others, especially in challenging situations. I was attracted to the program for many reasons. As a physician, I appreciated its strong scientific research foundation. I now give workshops for healthcare providers and law enforcement officers. This work has been tremendously rewarding for my personal and professional life. These experiences also enrich my ability to sit with clients as they navigate life-altering experiences such as divorce.
I am also a trainer for non-violent communication, which is for me the language of compassion.
AALM: Looking back on the cases you’ve handled, are there any in particular that have stood out?
DGL: One case from a few years ago involved a small-claims suit by a father against his son and daughter-in-law over a damaged car. In mediation, we realized that the core issue was the father’s sadness over not seeing his grandchildren as much as he had hoped. By facilitating a moment of human connection, we were able to get the case dismissed, reinforcing the idea that looking at the underlying values and needs of the participants, those that often lie beneath the conflict, a powerful path to resolution can be found. We may encounter anger and hatred, but if we can instead see this as a expression of some unmet need, we can get to a meaningful conversation about root causes.
AALM: Looking ahead at your career, what do you hope to accomplish next? What’s your next milestone or goal?
DGL: I hope to expand our practice, especially our focus on child-centered divorce mediation. I am genuinely committed to the idea that a successful divorce must conclude with co-parents who have the mutual respect, communication skills, and the appropriate structure to raise their children into well-adapted adults. In a world with disputes and conflicts all around, this is going to take a concerted effort to build a better next generation.
For more information, visit 4vimconsulting.com.
