Looking through the Bell Jar Working with mental illness Part 1
As part of my holiday reading this year, I picked up “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath.[i] This is short, semi autobiographical, and the only novel by Sylvia written in the 1960s, just weeks before her own suicide. It took me less than a day to read, but my mind has been looping from one…
Lovingkindness- the crucial ingredient for Family Dispute Resolution
Hypothesis: Our clients approach us, as Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners, to assist them towards resolution of the disputes arising from their separation. Generally, this requires that we work with them to achieve some type of behavioural change. In order to fulfill this role, we have to be our best selves, in other words, this requires…
Why good collaboration is so important between a client and their lawyer by Georgina Robertson
How you and your family lawyer collaborate with one another can make a significant difference in finding the solutions you need regarding your family law matter. To help demonstrate what good collaboration can look like from both sides, CFLS paralegal Georgina Robertson shares one of her earlier experiences working with a client and explains how…
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 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.…
The Impact of Family Violence on Children
The current world is one characterised by considerable uncertainty and anxiety. This can be an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones and develop new coping strategies for personal growth and resilience. But it can also be a time when relationship difficulties can become overwhelming and stress of this masks our ability to manage this…
The Value of a Multidisciplinary Approach
I am honoured to be able to talk about this crucial topic with Marguerite Picard! Marguerite has devoted her work for many years now to perfecting a team approach to managing family separation in a respectful, pragmatic and professional manner. There is no-one better to talk about how families can benefit from this way of…
Making social media work for your business
I am very privileged to have Melbourne’s leading expert on marketing and social media, Iolanthe Gabrie, sharing breakfast and her wisdom with me on Wednesday 23 October, 2019. Connect with us live on FaceBook from 8.00 am to find out about the benefits of social media, when it is appropriate, what platform to use, how…
“See what you made me do” Insights into Family Violence
Join me and psychologist Ena Shaw to discuss insights regarding family violence in the context of the current best seller “See what you made me do” by Jess Hill. This is an amazing book that gives great insight into the roles of both victim and perpetrator, and how we as professionals working in this area…