I’ve always felt better when things are “black and white.” And, according to the research, most of us appreciate “closure” or decisiveness and feel less anxious when things are certain. But, since I’m a therapist, I’ve trained myself to tolerate feel O.K. in the “gray” area and help others who don’t like that in-between place, either.

The new book I’m reading, “Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing” by Jamie Holmes examines our anxiety with uncertainty, and I’ve learned a lot…

Got Conflict? If you have a conflict with someone, and are not sure how to handle it, then let us know. Here is your opportunity…

The Texas Conflict Coach® Blog Talk Radio program announces our series focused on Youth Violence and Restorative Justice.

The following episodes will air every Tuesday from 5:00-5:30 pm PST/7:00-7:30 pm CST/ 8:00-8:30 pm EST.…

What's Happening in Conflict Resolution" is a weekly round up of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week and view past versions [HERE].…

How can you know someone for 20 years and not know his name?

And then one day, he helps you in a HUGE way and saves your day!

That’s what happened to me at the Reno-Tahoe Airport one dark morning while waiting for the ‘commuter’ flight to Las Vegas.

I had broken my routine that morning. I had plugged my phone to the car – and you guessed it, I left it attached to the cable.

I didn’t realize it until way past the security…

When it comes to divorce, not a lot of attention gets paid to the parents of the child getting divorced. But, it can be difficult to watch your child experience the pain of divorce and equally as difficult to say good-bye to your daughter-in-law or son-in-law (in most cases, anyway!)

Since I’m always trying to help my clients navigate divorce, an article originally published in the Chicago Tribune caught my eye. In it, the author addresses the not-so-often-addressed…

  Our pets are family members. When conflicts arise involving this family companion in divorce,…

The first issue of JIOA's ninth year includes a diverse collection of articles about Ombuds practice and professionalism.  Editors Howard Gadlin and Samantha Levine-Finley write: "For a long time it felt as if ombuds spent more time talking about being ombuds then they spent ombudsing. ... Now our discussions are…

What's Happening in Conflict Resolution" is a weekly round up of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week and view past versions [HERE].

Video From Sydney Lindt Cafe…

“How Asking 5 Questions Allowed Me to Eat Dinner with My Kids”

I was intrigued when I read this headline. Why wasn’t this family eating together?

2 parents with busy work schedules. 2 kids with a babysitter who doles out snacks when they were starving. And lots of good intentions that slipped by week after…

You hear the stories all the time–the ones about high-conflict divorce and the toll it can take on the children, the divorcing individuals, and even the friends and families involved. High-conflict divorce is never good for anyone, and yet, thousands of divorcing couples somehow find themselves in this kind of conflictual relationship.

I thought I would learn more about this, errr, interesting dynamic and found a great article in the Huffington Post outlining 5 facts about…

Dealing with the normal stress of the holidays can be enough to handle. Then add those annoyances and disruptions you have to deal with in your neighborhood…loud holiday parties, cars blocking roads and your driveway, those bright holiday lights and decorations.…

HBR: Don’t Use Round Numbers in a Negotiation

By Matti Keloharju…

Being a lobbyist means that people you know (or have just met) want to talk politics with you, which I am happy to do … because I want to know what people are thinking and why.

They are laying the foundation, person by person, for how our community and country feels about our challenges and direction.

I am completely overwhelmed by the number of people who have told me that they are tired — so very tired of the…

A Platform for Action: Creating Peacebuilding Networks for Border Regions

By Jeffrey D. Pugh, Director of Conflict Resolution Graduate Programs and Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Boston Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, & Global Governance

In the midst of conflicts over refugees in Europe, xenophobic political discourse in the United States, and border clashes elsewhere, UMass Boston has partnered…

Have we overused the term “self-care” yet? I know it sounds a bit therapy-ish, but self-care really is just that: caring for oneself. And, it turns out–during conflict, self-care is essential.

I’ve recently been reminded of this by a friend who’s going through some major upheaval in her marriage. It’s falling apart, to be honest. And, she’s found herself in a position that presents two choices: I either allow myself to sink into despair OR I take care of myself and use this…

In many communities around the country there are community mediation centers supported by volunteer mediators. Community Boards of San Francisco is the oldest community mediation center in the country, started in 1976. The philosophy of community mediation centers is to empower community…

Peace builders have to be willing to get vulnerable in their marketing.

In a professional field, dominated by people familiar—and comfortable—with the way that influence, quality, and communication, worked under Industrial Revolution rules, this can be a difficult process to emabark upon.

Peace builders of all kinds—conflict resolution…

Emergent Peacebuilding Design: 

Reframing our Approach to Local Peacebuilding

Presented by Gail Ervin, PhD.…

I have two nieces getting married this summer and naturally, they are very excited – creating wedding websites and making plans. And I certainly don’t want to rain on their special day …

however, we all know that hard times can also be hard of a marriage. And sometimes there will be disagreements and probably some fights too.…