Separation and the agony of waiting: an exploration
I listen to many stories each week about the difficulties of separation and the inevitable changes that it brings to life. They often involve feelings of agony when waiting for an end result, and yearning to move past the present-day towards a better future. A play I discovered that illustrates how it feels to be…
10 tips for what you do when you are newly separated
Separating from your partner can be overwhelming, and knowing where to begin or what to prioritise is not always easy. Often, our minds can focus on the most obvious and practical things, but there are also more personal aspects that deserve just as much attention. To help give you a starting point that will prepare…
What happens in separation? Your emotional, physical, and legal journey.
Separation can be one of the most devastating life experiences we face. Most of us will either be touched by it personally, or through a close family member or friend. Whilst each separation experience is unique, there are aspects of it that are common to everyone. In this Creative Family Law Solutions blog, we look…
Ambivalence as essential for behavioural change
When someone approaches a dispute resolver, mediator, coach, or lawyer for assistance, they are seeking support for alternation in their circumstances. They may want their situation or lifestyle to alter, or they may be seeking that someone else’s behaviour be different. Essentially we are being asked to help another to bring about these changes. A…
Queen Victoria-What a woman!
I have been fascinated by Queen Victoria for many years. The recent TV series “Victoria” enhanced this fascination, and for Christmas I was given the 2015 biography by Julia Baird. Having now read this, I feel in some ways an expert on this amazing woman, but at the same time she remains a mystery in…
Whose problem is it- the child’s or the parent’s?
https://www.facebook.com/206007089755992/videos/360463375379760 Another instalment of our Conversation Series where I discuss this fascinating topic with guest speaker Donovan Nufable. Covid has been a particularly challenging time for everyone in the community, with many jobs under threat, social isolation the new norm, and a pervading sense of uncertainty for what the world will look like next…
Tips for Good Conversation
CONVERSATION C Have a Clear and purposeful intention for your conversation O Be Open to the other person- try to put any assumptions or judgements to one side N Be sensitive to the Non-verbal communication-notice the pitch, volume, pauses and energy in the other person’s speech, pay attention to whether the content of the words…
The Wisdom of Books
When I was a young child my most precious possessions were my books. I kept them in a tea chest, and took great joy from unpacking them, rediscovering them, holding them, and connecting with what each of them meant to me. They were each a key either to the person who gave them to me,…
The Value of the Visual in Mediation
When I first met Michael Hunt nearly 30 years ago, I was very impressed by his focus on the visual in mediation. He had white boards, butchers paper and many different coloured textas, and he used these very skillfully to support his role as a facilitative mediator. He has since then taken this passion into…
Good Communication When Working Remotely
This is an issue that we are all focused on at present! I was very lucky recently to be able to discuss this important topic with my great friend and colleague Marlene Ebejer. She is a leader in the family dispute resolution field, and it was a great privilege to have this discussion with her.…