Conflict prevention rather than cure
As professionals in the area of dispute resolution we acquire significant knowledge regarding the nature of conflict, and develop many skills to assist in managing and dealing with disputes. This week Resolutions Institute hosted a presentation by Olivia Davis and Professor Camilla Baasch Anderson where they suggested that these skills have a much wider application,…
Mindfulness-the power of Now
The notion that it is important to be centred, or internally balanced, to cope well with the stresses and pressures of life, is not new. Nor is the idea that to more effectively assist others to deal with conflict, it is crucial that we have developed self-reflection and learned to manage this ourselves. The ability…
Becoming a changemaker
During the last 30 years, I have often questioned what it means for me to be a lawyer-what do I stand for, and what are the values that are important to me? In hindsight I see that my answer to this question has been consistent, but the struggle to balance out my need to be…
Encouraging happier clients
As a professional working with families in conflict, our own presentation is crucial in assisting others to take control of their lives, deal with the conflict and move beyond this to a better place. If we can demonstrate the skill of happiness and long lasting wellbeing, based on inner peace and strength, then we are…
Understanding and dealing with the cycle of conflict
One of the striking aspects of observing and understanding conflict, is that a pattern often emerges unique to each individual and situation. Based on history of past experiences and perceptions, core beliefs, assumptions and biases are developed, that determine the reaction to a given situation. Over time these reactions become unconscious or intuitive, and entrenched…
Working with bias in mediation
Conflict can be viewed as the clash of values, core beliefs or biases. In assisting those in conflict we must first gain an appreciation of the nature of the conflict involved, and facilitate an understanding of this by those affected by the conflict, before there can be any transformation to a better way of dealing…
An integrated approach to conflict management for families
An integrated or holistic approach to conflict management implies a recognition and understanding of the complexity of conflict, and the willingness to work with other professionals with complimentary and specialist skills, to provide a comprehensive and unique approach to each situation. Not only should I be continually expanding and perfecting my own skills, but…
Donald Horne and the legacy from “The Lucky Country”
As a university student in the late 70s and early 80s, Donald Horne’s book “The Lucky Country” was well known to me. This week I had an opportunity to consider the legacy that Donald left behind. I found that although he spent much of his early life as a journalist and editor, he was in…
Unconscious bias-what is it and what can we do about it
Since International Women’s day I have noticed various articles circulating about Unconscious Bias or the blind spots that we all have that impact unconsciously on the way we treat others. These affect us all unknowingly-how we think about issues, how we respond to situations, and how we make decisions. It is particularly topical now, as…
The effective use of Parenting Plans to formalise parenting agreements
If the frequency of questions I am asked about Parenting Plans is any indication, I sense there is significant concern amongst professionals about relying on them to formalize agreements in family disputes. There are many advantages that flow from using Parenting Plans, and I hope that clarity around these would mean that they can be…