- Conflict Resolution and Transformation -

Understanding, Connection, and Solutions

Over his 25 years of mediation experience, John has developed a highly effective mediation process that he provides to adult families, family systems and businesses, and organizations (founders, board members, leadership, management, teams and co-workers). People in the mediation process have the opportunity to learn communication and mediation skills and are given access to practical and supportive learning resources.

The Approach integrates empathic communication skills, an inner mediation model, mindfulness, and neuroscience. The approach includes elements of reconciliation & healing when emotional hurt and pain are an aspect of the conflict.

The Time Frame for the mediation process is generally 10-20 hours, depending on the number of people involved, the complexity of the issues, and the personality dynamics.

The Mediation Process moves through five phases: from a joint Orientation session, to Individual preparation sessions, to joint Mutual Understanding session(s), to joint Solution-Agreements session(s), to Follow Up session.

1. Orientation Session. The mediation process starts with a joint session of all who are part of the situation. In this session, a road map is provided for a safe and trustworthy journey through the conflict situation to a place of specific mutual agreements to meet each person’s needs. The session gives an overview of what creates human conflict and disconnection, the process of communication and mediation being offered (based in the work of Nonviolent Communication/NVC), and how this process restores connection so the parties can find effective solutions together. This session also provides an opportunity for each person to share their understanding of the situation and goals for resolution.
2. Individual Preparation Sessions. In the individual sessions, a private, confidential listening space is provided for each person to share their perspective and experience of the situation and feel heard and understood. This is also an opportunity for each person to more deeply experience and become familiar with the components of the communication process applied to their own experience, as well as to understanding the other person’s experience.
3. Mutual Understanding Session(s). In this joint session, the parties are guided through a structured process of hearing and understanding each other’s experience and perspective. Out of this session comes clarity and mutual understanding of the most important needs and values in this situation for each person to be met going forward. If emotional hurt and pain are part of the situation, there is a Reconciliation and Healing aspect of the process.
4. Agreements Session(s). In this joint session, parties are supported to identify the individual and collective needs to be met in the situation, the issues to be addressed, brainstorming of ideas and solution requests, and working together to reach agreements (main, supporting, and restoring) to meet everyone’s needs. Written documentation of the notes of the Agreements session(s) and the final agreements is part of the delivered outcome of the process.  
5. Follow Up Session. Included in the process is a follow up session 4-6 weeks from completing the Agreements, to review how the Agreements have been going and if anything needs to be adjusted or changed. Knowing this session is scheduled adds motivation to maintain focus on remembering and keeping the agreements.