Many people have gone through, or at least heard of, divorce mediation. In that process, parties try to reach agreement about the division of property, spousal and child support, custody and visitation. Of course it doesn’t solve everything. All of these ideas are fairly familiar.
What is Mediation? There are many benefits to mediation, including spiritual and emotional, according to an article written by Dr. Denisha Shah. Attorneys who use the mediation process may focus on the more immediate benefits (ideally, a case settles and a file closes). Still, there are more extensive benefits that all participants may benefit from. …
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 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 …
We humans are social, but also individual. We often need help to succeed or excel. For example, early man was a poor match for a mastodon or prehistoric bison. He could hunt or gather smaller, less nutritious food alone. But he needed to hunt in a group if he were to take such dangerous high …
By Jasper Ozbirn It is common knowledge among mediators, as well as the general public, that the unlicensed practice of law (UPL) is illegal. While there is some debate on what constitutes the “practice of law,” the rule is clear that a mediator may not practice law. On the other hand, many consider experienced attorneys …
By Kristofer Michaud Inter-group conflict—Montagues vs. Capulets, Sharks vs. Jets, Crips vs. Bloods—often culminates in episodes of unplanned, catastrophic violence. These cathartic but often gruesome incidents must then be interpreted after the fact by the stereotypically level-headed third parties called upon by the criminal justice system to prosecute, defend, and ultimately judge the perpetrators. These …
By Lalita B. Nordquist, SPHR, MA, MDR Behavioral Psychology is a well-known method used across the world for everything from training dogs to treating phobias. B.F. Skinner is one of the most widely recognized contributors to Behaviorism and brought us the idea of “operant conditioning”—the idea that we can condition ourselves and others through the …