Before the parties meet the facilitator begins by privately asking each party questions about the issues, listening to validate them but not otherwise agreeing or critiquing.
This is as much to prepare the parties as it is to prepare the facilitator, helping them vent emotion, feel they are being heard, and dig down into what they are going to discuss with the other parties.

(речь идет о стороне-посреднике, помогающей конфликтующим сторонам прийти к соглашению)

Вот эта фраза затрудняет: This is as much to prepare the parties as it is to prepare the facilitator,

Спасибо.