Conflict is an inevitable part of life. It will be present wherever there is social interaction. We compete and conflict over scarce resources, perceived insults, and in the search for dominance. But not everyone deals with conflict in the same way. There are five basic styles of conflict management. They are: Competition — The pursuit of …
By Zachary Ulrich The Fundamental Attribution Error In Mediation Have you ever had someone blame you for something over which you had absolutely no control? If you’ve ever been late to a meeting, been framed by a sibling growing up, or otherwise haven’t lived under a rock your entire life, you know what I’m talking …
I. INTRODUCTION Traumatic experiences become a part of an individual forever. At a domestic level, clients may have traumatic experiences like rape, domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. At an international level, clients are often the victim of human rights abuses ranging from genocide to war crimes. These individual have stories that may remain …
By Zach Ulrich As a kid I used to enjoy looking through glasses of water at the objects beyond because, depending upon the shape of the glass or the flow of the water, the images became distorted, bent, and often produced some pretty funny results. What I didn’t realize at the time was that with …
By Jeffrey Krivis The Central Valley of California, known for its good weather and rich soil, is considered the breadbasket of the country. The many people who live in this agricultural community work hard. They know that the literal fruits of their labors feed people, and they are proud of their role in society. …
By Zachary Ulrich Why Parties Sometimes “Take Things Personally,” And What Mediators Can Do About It Have you ever had someone blame you for something when there was nothing you could have done to change the situation? For example, have you ever made a promise to someone (say, to be at a certain place at …
By Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. Hostile mail – especially email – has become much more common over the past decade. Most of this mail is just “venting,” and has little real significance. However, when people are involved in a formal conflict (a divorce, a workplace grievance, a homeowners’ association complaint, etc.) there may be more …
By Zachary Ulrich What Companies (And Families) Can Learn From Mindfulness Ever have one of those moments where you were just so frustrated that you couldn’t think straight? Where all you could think about was the problem or source of your anxiety or anger? Where you couldn’t stop thinking about it – milling about it …
By Mikita Weaver This fall I attended one of the outdoor concerts by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Symphony at the Hollywood Bowl. It was a spectacular affair—beginning with the wonderful sounds of classical music and ending with a fantastic light show. The concert featured a local university marching band as well as a guest appearance …
The necessity for mediating wrongful death cases comes when we least expect. A late-night phone call jerks you awake. Who could it be at this hour? Filled with a nameless dread, you answer. Good news could have waited until morning. As the caller speaks, you have a sense that everything normal has been ripped away. …