You’ve just been hit with a fistful of words and your immediate reaction is to hit back with a barrage of your own.

Austrian psychiatrist, Viktor Frankl, once said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”

Being so reactionary, with your fists raised, isn’t the best way to be. It just escalates the situation.

So … what is an alternative response?

My suggestion is to activate…

Inner conflict is one of the toughest battles to fight – after all, when we have an inner conflict, we can’t blame someone else or schedule a fist fight in the parking lot. Instead, it’s up to us and us alone to figure things out. And, that can be a tall order.

At the root of most inner conflict is anxiety – the idea that, even without evidence, something bad will happen. Although many people don’t think anxiety can be debilitating, let me assure it can be.…

When a family member needs help everyone has an idea of what is “best.” Many times, adult children are called upon in a crisis to help their parents make some decisions about their care. The family and the senior have to decide the senior may need. The differing options of care (how much, what type, and how it will be funded) can cause conflict within the family. Geriatric…

What's Happening in Conflict Resolution is a roundup of the all the ADR news, research, jobs, events and more. Check it out, and view past versions [HERE].…

It’s bound to happen. Someone with a marital or relationship problem is going to come to you and ask for advice.

How do you best support that person now that you have been put into this “first responder” role?Your first reaction might be to offer your advice, but according to William Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, the most effective thing that you can do is pretty darn simple … just listen!

His theory is…

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone – only to discover a)he/she isn’t listening at all 2) he/she is distracted by technology or c) he/she is already getting defensive even before you start to speak?

If so, you’re certainly not alone (and, let’s face it, you’ve probably been a less-than-attentive listener, too!). In fact, lots of folks who come through my office complain about not feeling “heard,” and the lack of communication is creating pretty intense…

Got Conflict? If you have a conflict with someone and are not sure how to handle it, then let us know. Here is your opportunity to ask your question with Conflict Management experts who are mediators, conflict coaches, and facilitators on how to think about, analyze or resolve your situation.

Think about it. Are you currently engaged in an active conflict with…

We’ve all heard of the “power of positive thinking.” But sometimes it’s just hard to turn that frown upside down.

So what then?

Sometimes negative feelings persist.

Now, let me be clear. I am not talking about emotions like hopelessness, despair or worthlessness. These are referred to as “empty emotions” and can be signs of depression that need to be treated.…

I’ve watched my children fall down quite a bit – both literally and figuratively. And, I’ve learned it’s not always easy to know what to say. Should I tell them, “You’re OK” and wait for them to get up? Or, should I fling myself onto them protectively and help them to their feet? (For the record, I usually act on a case-by-case basis).

But, the reaction of Mothers around the world got me thinking – how would I feel if I hurt myself, and someone told me “You’re OK, just get…

Often our Alarm bells go off, blood pressure rises and our capacity to listen stops, when we hear ideas and opinions that seem radically different than ours. What techniques can we use to increase trust and create the foundation for truly Restorative Conversations? How might we…

What's Happening in Conflict Resolution is a roundup of the all the ADR news, research, jobs, events and more. Check it out, and view past versions [HERE].…

I was standing in a hallway of a restaurant waiting for my turn to use a women’s restroom. The door was locked and within 10 seconds it opened and a lady appeared. She looked at me and said “I’m sorry.” And I thought … for what?

Why would this person think to say she was sorry in this situation?

It turns out that women believe that being apologetic is a way to demonstrate that you are being polite. And saying sorry means that you aren’t being…

As a Mom of three (and living in a community of kid-excellence, to say the least), it’s hard for me to NOT feel insecure about what my kids AREN’T doing. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t overhear another Mom talking about their child excelling at the best private school in town or see another child drilled endlessly on the tennis court.

It’s enough to drive you mad – unless you know something I just learned: Turns out, the most creative children have fewer rules at home and…

Conflict opportunities present itself in various ways. Often, we don't notice the impact of seemingly unimportant off-putting comments we make to others or the disagreements which brew in our minds leading to something bigger than it is. The key is communication and checking our…

Being a teenager can be confusing — it’s a time filled with significant changes, growth and uncertainty.

It’s easy to forget what that felt like. And this can impact your ability to communicate with your teen. Your world view is so different.

Here are a few tips that I found online that can perhaps help you to bridge the communication divide with your teenager.…

I don’t often “click here” when someone posts an article on Facebook, but when I saw the topic of a recent article posted by a friend, I just had to see what it was all about. It was called “What If All I Want Is a Mediocre Life?’, and it had me intrigued.

The question on the table was this: Is it enough to be a pretty good wife (husband), Mother (Father), Sister (Brother), Community Member, etc.? Or do I need to be all of that PLUS the CEO of a company, the BEST at whatever…

So you might have noticed that I've been building Mediation In Your Pocket for a while. Maybe not, eh?...

I’m working away in the background creating something I really hope will begin to disrupt the world of conflict engagement. This might take a while to get going,…

Over the last 8 years, we have produced 310 podcasts with experts from all over the world. Each month we will feature one of these programs in our “The Best of the Past” episodes.

Got Conflict? The Texas Conflict Coach®, a division of…

What's Happening in Conflict Resolution is a roundup of the all the ADR news, research, jobs, events and more. Check it out, and view past versions [HERE].…