What do family lawyers really think about FDR?
Join me to discuss What family lawyers really think about FDR, how this impacts on the strategic alliances that we form, and the expectations we can have for referrals.
“Johnno” by David Malouf-are we who we think we are, or who is reflected in those around us?
Last week I attended a Masterclass at Melbourne University on “Johnno” by David Malouf, one of our most celebrated writers. This is the first novel of this iconic Australian poet and author, published in 1975 at the height of the Whitlam Era. Patrick White described this as the best novel written by an Australian author…
Breakfast Networking Seminar-Capacity for Decision Making 16 August 2017
Join me and two experienced professionals to discuss the important topic of “Capacity for Decision Making”. So often in family disputes there are important factors impacting on parties ability to make good decisions. These need to be identified, assessments need to be made as to the most appropriate process for the family to engage in…
Beyond Mindfulness
There is no doubt that “mindfulness” is important for our wellbeing, happiness and ability to cope with the overload of information and stress of modern life. There is also no doubt that meditation is the key to being able to still our minds, obtain some inner peace and experience love, joy and happiness. I have…
Case study-a tool for intake
This week I attended a meeting of the Special Interest Group run by VADRA (the Victorian Alternate Dispute Resolution Association). This is a group of professionals interested in dispute resolution and coming together from all different areas and perspectives. There were presentations from experienced practitioners to illustrate their approach to their work, with the aim…
A paradigm shift for fundamental change
A paradigm shift involves a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. It creates a situation in which the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about something changes completely. There have been those rare individuals who have had the genius to challenge thinking in their time, and create something novel and different as…
Macbeth-Shakespeare on high conflict personalities
MACBETH – Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation Proceeding…
Lessons from Shakespeare’s Richard III
Why is Shakespeare as popular today as he was in his own time 400 years ago? Is it the beauty of his language, his incredible ability to paint a picture that captures the imagination so well, his intricate plots so full of suspense and intrigue, his characters, so often larger than life, but so real…
Case study-managing intake for greater insight
Recently, I participated in an FDR with a client, I will call Carl, who wanted to leave behind a very negative personal relationship and achieve a more positive parenting arrangement. During the settlement conference he displayed difficult behaviours that impacted significantly on the process. In hindsight I regret not recognizing the signs which would have…
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,…