The term “mindfulness” has become a buzzword in the business world. Multiple studies and articles have been published which examine mindfulness, how to practice it, and what the benefits are. Mindfulness is that moment-by-moment awareness of your surroundings, thoughts, and feelings, or a sense of presence and acceptance. Mindfulness is often referred to as the…

Texting, online messaging, and other similar forms of communication have grown exponentially in recent years. While messaging apps and text messages may bring some people closer together and lead to more frequent communication, they are devoid of communication clues, such as verbal inflections, body language and tone of voice, that help give context to our…

This month I’m delighted to feature a guest article from my longtime colleague, Carolyn Parr. Carolyn has graciously agreed to let us post her newsletter article here. To learn more about Carolyn, click here. These days we hear a lot about people living in ‘bubbles.’ In mediation I often encounter parties whose positions are encased…

A brother sued his sister over the accounting of assets when the sister held the power of attorney for their mother as her health was failing. After a four-hour mediation, the case was settled and the siblings were on speaking terms again. Sound familiar?  Similar situation in your family?  Mediation is more frequently being used…

NEWSLETTER EDITION: FEBRUARY 2017 This month I’m delighted to feature a guest article by my colleague and friend Gloria K. Vanderhorst, Ph.D.  I asked Gloria to write a piece about what happens in our brains when we experience conflict. Your Brain on Conflict You are heading for a mediation session about a workplace issue and…

The holidays are approaching, and many of us encounter some level of anxiety during these two months. Family conflicts occur because typically your family knows which buttons to push and which topics to broach to cause an argument. Nearly every family has at least one person who likes to stir the pot in this way….