Mediate and Resolve…

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict…Dorothy Thompson, American Journalist

Actively engaging life, working with others, entering relationships involves conflict, tension, and stress. The secret is not living without conflict, but living fully with skills to reduce tension, find solutions, and transform painful and unproductive conflict into creative energy for learning, problem-solving, and sustaining meaningful relationships. Mediation and dispute resolution services helps couples, families and work partnerships come to a better understanding of each other’s point of view in order to make durable agreements for a better tomorrow. Here are a few cornerstones of facilitative mediation:

Mediation is voluntary and confidential.
Client-centered mediation focuses on the unique needs of the participants and their situation and is tailored to meet those unique needs and achieve the best possible outcome.
Participants make the decisions—not the mediator.
If you intend to file your mediation agreements with the court, I strongly urge participants to review agreements with an attorney before signing and submitting them to court.

Co-Parent Conflict Resolution

Resolve parenting conflicts, make durable co-parenting agreements

After completing the divorce/separation process, co-parents may from time-to-time run into areas of concern that push beyond their usual ability to resolve conflict. Co-parents may need assistance with implementing their parenting plan, understanding the boundaries of their agreements, or facing an unanticipated developmental, educational, or health-care decision with a child. A skilled mediator facilitates problem-solving, helps co-parents build agreements, and educates regarding options, process, and protocols. The decision remains in your hands jointly — the mediator is there to walk you through the conversation, deepen understanding of the issues, and creatively generate options that allow for unique and durable solutions.

Family Mediation/Parent-Teen

Build respectful behaviors, constructive communication, and restructure relationships for healthy boundaries and stronger functioning

Family mediation may take many forms. Mediation works well with teenagers and parents, families who are blending new members, and adult siblings working through issues with aging parents or through misunderstandings that emerge as part of “on-going family life”. Unlike family therapy which may explore the past, family mediation stays present and future focused. Members make agreements about whether to have “difficult conversations”. Feelings are considered, skills built, emotional safety maintained. Making and keeping agreements, trust-building, respect, and honoring boundaries provide the structure for improved relationships and family function.

Work Place Dispute Resolution

Through deep listening, empathy building, and constructive problem-solving, move distressing relationships into new, functional colleague-ship.

Work relationships, office teams, professional groups struggling with personality differences, conflicts, or disruptive behaviors may benefit from the facilitation of a mediator/dispute resolution specialist. An outside professional, who understands team leadership and dynamics, the developmental cycle of groups/teams, and a whole-bunch about human nature, can enter an existing system and assist with smoothing out misunderstandings, protocols that aren’t working, and personal styles that may be clashing. Unresolved conflict is a mismanagement of valuable human energy and resources. Resolving conflict effectively frees everyone to work to their potential – creative and productive.