In Their Voices
A Video Conversation Project
Image by Rosie Kerr, unsplash.com
As I wrote The Guide to Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution, I wondered whether I could include the voices and perspectives of others—not simply through quotations and citations which I employed extensively. I wanted more depth and detail. I wanted to include the perspectives, experiences and wisdom of others who think about and work with similar ideas and to do so in their own voices. These are people who have added immeasurably to our profession through practice experiences, writings, teaching and research.
That led to the idea of producing a series of video conversations broadly oriented to ideas about reflective practice including, learning from experience, applying theory to shape action, and others. The conversations will focus on and emphasize their practices, teaching, writing and research.
Gabriela Anaya Reyna & Julian Portilla
Gabriela and Julian describe their roles in this multi-year, multi-stakeholder process that provides “a space for the generation of proposals and consensual actions between fishery and aquaculture producers, fishing communities, private sector, public sector, consumers and organized civil society to improve competitiveness, sustainability and equity. of fishing and aquaculture in the country.”
Marina Piscolish
The cultural shift as she moved to Hawaii required Marina Piscolish to reinvent her approaches to conflict work. Learning about the traditions and beliefs—both those spoken and those so embedded in the daily lives of people in Hawaii—became an insistent force leading her to her reshape her practice. In conversation with Michael, Marina gives examples of the influence of the diverse cultures in Hawaii on her approach to multi-party engagement.
John Stephens
John talks with Michael about his efforts to assist local and regional governing bodies to manage conflicts within those institutions and between the government and its citizens. John has acted at times as educator, mediator, facilitator, and conflict advisor to administrators and elected members of North Carolina municipal and county governments.
Ava Abramowitz & Kenneth Webb
Ava and Ken apply behavioral analysis in order to understand what communication skills are likely most helpful and effective. They describe their process of coding mediation communications and explain the importance of their analysis of these behaviors as well as their implications for, and ability to add value in, both negotiations and mediation.
Manon Schonewille
Effectively training mediators requires both a thorough understanding of the knowledge and skills required together with the ability to organize and present information that produces skillful and resourceful professionals. Manon describes her approach to mediator training and the development of extensive and comprehensive training materials. She also explains how she adjusts her training curriculum to meet the unique needs of mediators in different countries.
Cinnie Noble talking with Michael
In a turn-around, Cinnie Noble talks with Michael, asking how he became a mediator, learning about his first mediation, and talking about Michael’s long-time interest in bringing the principles and methods of reflective practice into the field of conflict work.
Geoffrey Corry
In this conversation, Geoffrey talks about his role as a facilitator of political dialogues with non-state participants in connection with the Northern Ireland peace process and the key role these dialogues served in the process of building peace. In a wide-ranging discussion, Geoffrey recounts how mediation was introduced into and took roots in Ireland.
Tim Hicks
Tim and Michael talk about Tim’s book, Embodied Conflict: The Neural Basis of Conflict and Communication, (Routledge, 2018). Tim applies recent discoveries in neuroscience and neural functioning to understand and explain why we behave as we do in the face of disagreements and differences.
Lucy Moore
In this conversation, Lucy, a dazzling and vivid storyteller, uses stories of her experiences in Navajo Country and as an environmental mediator to describe her journey through new cultures, learning to respond and adapt to unfamiliar patterns, norms, and values.
Hansa R. Patel
Developing mindful lawyering and mediation in the legal community, especially with attorneys, courts, and clients is her new passion. She believes that self-reflection has a significant impact on the outcome of what we do.
Chuck Crumpton
Chuck employs productive, objective dialogue to help parties reach fair settlements. Chuck describes how values learned in his family as well as life experiences—especially those outside the US—have shaped his approach to conflict intervention.
Joyce Odidison, MA, PCC, CTDP
Joyce describes to Michael her signature Wellness Improvement System model (WIS) to help clients get fast, holistic and sustainable results by adopting wellness competencies to build emotional and mental resilience.
Cheryl Jamison, J.D.
Cheryl advocates for materials and courses that provide lessons in conflict management for non-professionals to resolve everyday disputes. Cheryl and Michael talk about the need to encourage deep and constructive conversations about race and its effects throughout society.
Cinnie Noble
In this conversation with Michael, Cinnie describes her research that helped generate the principles and practices for the CINERGY ® Coaching model and talks about the benefits of pre-mediation coaching.
Deirdre Curran
Deirdre talks with Michael about current research projects, one looks at conditions of workers in the hospitality sector and a comparative study of public provisions for workplace mediation in Ireland and New Zealand.
Tammy Lenski
Tammy and Michael discuss excellence in practice; how “becoming good” as mediators calls on us to deepen our reflecting on and skills in raising people up and helping them bring their best to the table.
John Ford
John describes mediating workplace disputes with a process that builds from a carefully constructed opening toward resolution through relational connections among the participants.
Howard Herman
Michael and Howard talk about continuing education programs for the neutrals, most specifically Howard's role in developing innovative on-going reflective practice groups for mediators.
Sue Bronson
In this conversation with Michael, Sue talks about the application and usefulness of pre-screening assessment in elder care dispute resolution processes.