We write an awful lot about conflict resolution (and, why wouldn't we--we're a conflict resolution blog!) But, this post is a little different.It's about conflict itself or, more specifically, the idea that not ALL battles are worth fighting. Yesterday, a friend of mine told me that her husband will likely relocate the family to South Dakota because of Nevada's regulations regarding trust companies.

It's something that's been a possibility for some time, but, now, it seems nearly…

Tragedy not only destroys families it leaves aftershocks of substance abuse, violence and hatred within the community. Calling upon centuries of tradition and experience,…

Communicating with your children can be a real challenging. Does it feel more like "kommunication?"

What got me thinking about this was an article I read last week about how to get your kids to talk. The columnist was on the right track with her suggestion to ask them questions ... but if she had taken our mediation class, she would have thought of even better…

I'm not one to follow the lives of movie stars and famous people ... but when I saw a picture of Gwyneth Paltrow with an online article entitled "Is 'Conscious Uncoupling' a Better Way to Divorce?", the mediator in my just had to click and read.…

Join Founding Host Pattie Porter and Hosts Zena Zumeta and Stephen Kotev as we celebrate and honor the many guests during our 200th Episode. This is our 5 year anniversary of…

Family businesses move through many transitions as they grow from Founders to much larger family enterprise systems. The components of this shift include among others: a range of family dynamics issues that can de-rail business or families, clarifying roles, committing to various business competencies, reaching agreements about reasonable expectations, building solid governance structures and…

The Texas Conflict Coach radio program's mission is to raise awareness and educate the general public and our communities about conflict resolution and peace building. In doing so, we are collaborating with Mediation Station in Toronto, Canada to encourage deeper understanding through meaningful talk and deeper…

It's been a pretty stressful week in our home. My husband, who started a new job about a year ago, is under a tremendous amount of pressure at work--trying to please his boss. Now, my husband would be classified as a people-pleaser and very, very easy to please. I'm being serious when I tell you that all he asked for when he turned 48 this past January was a bag of pretzels and some Cokes (and that's what he got).…

Most of us understand when there is a conflict, but we have not looked at what keeps us locked into the conflict. Those three components are powerful magnets for us. The program today will examine how identity, emotion and power work in conflict, and how understanding each of them…

I just read an interesting article in Mediate.com that spoke the issue of blame--and who's fault it is when a marriage or relationship fails.

Although "blame" is not hardly new territory to tackle, the article made me realize that it's human nature to want to assign blame to a conflict. So, as mediators, we're in the business of going AGAINST human nature to some degree--and asking the parties to do that, as well.…

I'm a cradle Catholic, so I do know the "rules" when it comes to getting a divorce in the eyes of the Catholic Church--basically, you must get the marriage "annulled" by a Priest, or you cannot remarry in the Catholic Church.

I had no idea, however, how other religions viewed religious divorce--until I came upon an article in Mediate.com which discussed a divorce in the Jewish religion. It's called a "get," and many Orthodox Jews are refusing to give them to their wives (in the…

Ken Cloke is renowned for his decades of work, passion and dedication to bring peacemaking tools to wherever he believes he can be of service whether it is in the U.S. or around the world. In this episode, The Language of Conflict, Ken will share his personal…

The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family but the stress of getting there can wreak havoc on an otherwise joyous occasion. Following my mottos of"Know before you go" and "Plan and Prepare" you can start the holidays off on the right path. Ja'Vonne…

Arline Kardasis, mediator, trainer and co-author of Mom Always liked You Best, will discuss this guide for resolving family feuds, inheritance…

Family businesses are unique and complex differing in many ways from non-family businesses. For those family businesses preparing for the next generation to transition and succeed, they need to expect all kinds of issues to arise that can cause conflict. Family members have questions…

As a licensed marriage and family therapist for nearly 20 years, Dr. Adams has discovered a common thread that binds us together—the power that relationships have in our lives. Through research, Dr. Adams began to unravel the complexity of relationships and to uncover the basic principles upon which successful relationships are built. By redefining these principles, she has developed simple and practical applications that those in military…

Elder mediation can enhance family communication skills and change the face of health care as we know it. It promotes dignity and respect and enhances the quality of life for all concerned. Elder mediation is a focused, preventative, respectful process – usually multi-party, multi-issue and intergenerational - whereby a trained elder…

Does your family argue or fight about money or finances during the Holidays? Expectations about what kinds of gifts to buy, how much you can afford to spend on travel or even when siblings or other family members ask for money can cause conflict. Dave and Pattie will talk about some of the causes of Holiday financial conflicts, some strategies to keep from being…

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The holidays bring together families with long-held traditions, customs and celebrations. These holiday traditions are founded in our roots…our cultural identity, religious beliefs, and family values. The customs and traditions are sacred. But what happens when two families merge a multi-cultural or interracial marriage? Each family brings with them their own cultural expectations with different values and priorities. The pressures to conform and to honor those traditions…

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Each year, community mediators help nearly a million people in conflicts all manner of vexing variation. From schoolyard bullying to co-worker conflicts, nuisance neighbors to deeply personal family fights, community mediation programs bring constructive conflict resolution services to the masses. They mediate, facilitate, coach, train, and much more. These programs and…