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What is mediation?: rantings from a family mediator
This rant is for those (few remaining) lawyers who discourage their clients from trying mediation with the allegation that mediation is too “touchy-feely.” Lawyers and mediators can collaborate to...
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Risks of Lawyers Screening their own Clients under the Arbitration Act Reg.
Those of us working in family law can count on one thing never changing: we are in a danger zone. Read more on the risks of not adequately screening your clients. Originally published October 2013 ©...
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Best Practices for Screening in Family Mediation-Arbitration
There is a consensus among those who teach and practice screening for power imbalances and domestic violence that some ways of doing it are better than others. Read the following guidelines for more...
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Telephone Mediation is Family Mediation Friendly
Telephone mediation can change the dynamics of relationships between disputants by positively impacting the tempo and tenor of the discussions. The choice of the space in which mediation takes...
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Save the Date for Mediators Beyond Borders International’s Parallel Event at...
I am honoured to be joining several highly accomplished women mediators, negotiators and leaders in New York for this exciting panel “Peacebuilding Beyond 2017: Women as Agents of Change” on Tuesday...
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From Jennifer Lawrence to Aceh, Indonesia
The annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is an inspiring event that, in a perfect world, every single woman should attend. Attending as a Canadian mediator and trainer, I was struck...
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Negotiation with Your Teen?
At a past workshop I did with fellow parents of teenagers, I was asked whether it is appropriate to ever negotiate with a teenager. It is a good question. Especially if we consider our role to be that...
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What We Learned Training Mediators in Barbados
Our team had a wonderful experience working with the mediators of the Barbados Supreme Court. The training was funded by the IMPACT Justice Project, an initiative of the Canadian government that is...
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Identifying and Assessing Family Violence and Power Dynamics
What are the fundamental principles of ADR? What are some basic screening concepts I should know before starting mediation and/or arbitration? What are mediators looking for when assessing for risk?...
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What is causing “the perceived injurious experience”?
Fig. 1 What drives conflict? How does each party in conflict get their needs met? Read this excerpt from our Introduction to Family Law course for more insights. Relationship-based conflicts: fuelled...
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UK Parenting Coordination (PC) Roadshows
It was back in 2016 that London England based Family Law in Partnership (FLiP) founder Gillian Bishop first joined us in Toronto for the Riverdale Mediation PC trainings. She and fellow FLiP colleague...
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Overview of Family Relations (Part 1 of 3)
As mental health and family law professionals we know that every family we work with is unique. We also know that families are incredibly complex and dynamic systems… How we understand and respond to a...
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Overview of Family Relations (Part 2 of 3)
Mental health and mental wellness can be primary factors in relational issues and conflict, and how it is expressed. Aspects of mental health also impact upon how parties engage and participate in...
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Overview of Family Relations (3 of 3)
A mediator’s tool kit is made up of many things. How we ask questions, the language we use, and how we conceptualize our role as mediator are a big part of this… Day Three of the Family Relations...
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What is mediation?: rantings from a family mediator
This rant is for those (few remaining) lawyers who discourage their clients from trying mediation with the allegation that mediation is too “touchy-feely.” Lawyers and mediators can collaborate to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Best Practices for Screening in Family Mediation-Arbitration
There is a consensus among those who teach and practice screening for power imbalances and domestic violence that some ways of doing it are better than others. Read the following guidelines for more...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Telephone Mediation is Family Mediation Friendly
Telephone mediation can change the dynamics of relationships between disputants by positively impacting the tempo and tenor of the discussions. The choice of the space in which mediation takes place...
View ArticleClik here to view.
My family mediator wants to have a pre-mediation meeting with me. Why?
Fear is the greatest emotion felt by clients engaged in family mediation processes. Pre-mediation meetings help clients ease some of these intense feelings. A great family mediator seeks to create a...
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Legal Duties of Family Mediators – With a Stiff Penalty for Non-Compliance
This week we are teaching a 30-hour course in family law for Ontario mediators. Although one only scratches the surface of family law in such a short time, we manage to cover a lot of ground. Mediation...
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Can a Judge Order Parties to Go to Family Mediation?
This week we are teaching family law to a class of mediation students. It is only 30 hours, not nearly enough, but we try to use those hours to teach mediators the things they really need to know. One...
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