mediatorinthemaking.com

The following is a selective listing of Boston area mediation, conflict resolution and negotiation trainings and events for the summer and early fall of 2008.

Email me at rachel at mediatorinthemaking.com to add your event to the next roundup.

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July 16 - 19, 2008 * and again September 17 - 20, 2008
Basic Mediation Workshops
From Woodbury College

Learn and practice skills in identifying and framing issues, listening for interests, controlling the process, helping disputants solve problems, finalizing agreements, and handling special problems in mediation.

Tuition: $845 or $695 for participants registered by a non-profit organization
Location: Montpelier, VT

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August 15, 2008 * 2:30pm to 5pm
Mediation Roundtable: Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop
From Mediation Works, Inc.
Presenter: Deloris Aguirre, Boston Public Health Commission

The MWI Roundtable is an open discussion group where practitioners can explore topics related to mediation, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

Location: 4 Faneuil – Fourth Floor, Boston, MA

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August 19 - 28, 2008
40-hour Divorce Mediation Program
From Roger Williams University, School of Justice Studies

An intensive 40-hour course during which individuals will acquire the practical skills and techniques for competent mediation.

Tuition: $1,100
Location: Providence, RI

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August 24 - 28, 2008 * 9am to 5pm
Social Justice Mediation Institute
Presented by Leah Wing

Participants will explore the relationship between social justice and how conflicts develop and are resolved through lectures, interactive activities, analyses of (actual) videotaped mediation sessions, skill improvement, and roleplays.

Location: UMass Amherst
Tuition: $990
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September 12, 2008 * 8:30am to 4pm
Housing and Eviction Advanced Mediation Training
From Mediation Works, Inc.
Experience and training prerequisites apply.

Location: 4 Faneuil – Fourth Floor, Boston, MA

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September 17, 2008 * 2:30pm to 5pm
Mediation Roundtable:
Dealing with Emotions and Cognitive Errors at the Mediation Table - Theirs and Yours
From Mediation Works, Inc.
Presenter: Diane Levin

The MWI Roundtable is an open discussion group where practitioners can explore topics related to mediation, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

Location: 4 Faneuil – Fourth Floor, Boston, MA

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September 23 - December 9, 2008 * 6pm to 9pm
Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
From the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
Experience and training prerequisites apply.
Faculty: Gillien Todd and Emily Epstein

The following is a selective listing of Boston area mediation, conflict resolution and negotiation trainings and events for April and May 2008.

Find additional training listings at Mediation Works, Inc. (basic training or advanced) and the Harvard Program on Negotiation.

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April 9, 2008 2pm to 4pm
ADR Professions Colliding:
Addressing the Tension Between Mediation and Collaborative Practice
from Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, Inc.
Presenters: Lynda J. Robbins, Esq., and Karen J. Levitt, Esq.

Location: Arnold Room, Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA

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April 13 - 16, 2008
International Ombudsman Association Annual Conference
3rd Annual Conference of IOA: “Making a Difference-The Ombudsman Impact”
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA

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April 16, 2008 8:30 - 10am
(Continental Breakfast at 8am)
Dispute Resolution Forum
from Harvard Law School and the Program on Negotiation
Speaker: Rikk Larsen, mediator, trainer, conflict coach, Managing Partner at Howell Larsen Associates, founding partner of Elder Decisions

Location: John Chipman Gray Room, 2nd Floor, Pound Hall

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April 17, 2008 2pm - 5:30pm
Assessing and Addressing Power Imbalances:
Abusive Relationships and the Collaborative Process
from Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council
Presenter: Professor Margaret Drew, University of Cincinnati College of Law

Location: The Walker Center, 171 Grove Street, Newton, MA

Attendance is limited, so register early at Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council
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April 28, 2008 9am - 4pm
Managing Conflict in the Workplace
from Cape Mediation
$150.00($125 by 3/28)

Location: Willy’s World Wellness & Conference Center in North Eastham

“Workplace conflict is inevitable … Learn a proven problem-solving model
and practical skills to help deal with conflict between staff, management, and customers.”

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May 2-9, 2008
CDSC Basic Mediation Training
from Community Dispute Settlement Center

Location: CDSC, 60 Gore Street, East Cambridge, MA
Cost: $695 ($650 if registration recvd. by April 3)

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May 21, 2008 11:30am to 2pm
(Social Time 11:30am to 12pm)
Overcoming Impasse – Tools to Empower Parties to Reach Agreements
from Mediation Works, Inc.
Presenters: Chuck Doran and Josh Hoch

Intended Audience: MWI Court and Divorce Panel Members
“Participating in mediation can be difficult for parties. After time, impasse can seem too difficult to overcome. Join Chuck and Josh for some advanced mediation skill training as they share techniques and discuss strategies for empowering parties to be able to overcome impasse, stay focused, and reach agreement.”

Financial stress is one of the leading causes of conflict in relationships. And our conflicts at home do not stay just at home. They can drive us into new conflicts at work, which we bring home, and so on.

Especially in this troubled economy, good negotiation skills can help us manage stress before it spills out of our wallets and sparks conflict in the most important facets of our lives.

As I sit in the small claims courtroom and here the list of credit cases called, I can’t help but think that there has got to be a better way.

Moshe Cohen has written sound advice at WorkLifeBridge about Using negotiation skills to avoid foreclosure and other calamities.

… regard the situation as a collaborative negotiation whose goal is to solve the problem to best meet everyone’s interests and view the other party as your partner in making this happen.

Be clear about what you can and can’t do, and be conservative in any new commitments you make so you don’t have to have this same conversation with them over and over again. Try to use objective data to persuade the other party that your limits are real, and at the same time, be open to their concerns regarding your commitments. Pay close attention to what they have to say and make sure you understand them. Listen for clues as to what they need in order to keep working with you on renegotiating a deal that works for both of you.

(emphasis added)

Moshe also reminds us to realize that our financial institutions have a vested interest in our success, as they depend on us as much as we on them. This is akin to, though not quite equal to, heavy interdependence. In labor negotiations, this term means “they simply must find some way of getting along with one another.”* While I don’t think the credit companies have reached the point of seeing or accepting heavy interdependence with us regular individuals yet, I believe it might be close. This considering the new package agreed to by the major mortgage companies.

As reported by CreditBloggers and nearly experienced by yours truly, Bank of America is again looking to increase many customers’ rates — seemingly regardless of account status. With that news, it seems that far more of us than expect to might find ourselves in need of these skills.

Oh. And at least until all this blows over, try sticking with cash.

*quote is from Mediation–Its Forms and Functions, Lon L. Fuller, 44 Southern California Law Review 305, 1970-71

I’m developing a rhythm of posting upcoming Boston area mediation trainings and events in the middle of every month. I expect each post to focus on the upcoming six weeks.

For recent or more immediately upcoming events, please visit my posts under the Training and Events category.

To list your event in my roundups, please email me.

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March 1 - April 5
(March 1, 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 5, 2008: Saturdays 9-5 and Tuesdays 3-9)
Basic Mediation Training
Sponsored by The Mediation & Training Collaborative (TMTC)

Location: Northampton, MA
Fee: $575 - Registration deadline February l5
For more information, 413-774-7469 x16 or shackney@communityaction.us

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March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (Fridays, 9am to 4pm)
Intensive Mediation Workshop: Getting Others to Yes
Management Assistance Program in collaboration with Mediation Works, Inc.
Presenters: Charles P. Doran, Josh Hoch, Moshe Cohen, Diane Levin

“… help others to successfully resolve conflicts … effectively facilitate the mediation process … lectures, demonstrations, interactive exercises, supervised role-plays and group discussions. Previous completion of negotiation skills training is helpful … Participants are required to attend all five sessions.”

Location: JRI Health Center for Training and Professional Development
25 West Street, 3rd Flr, Boston, MA 02111
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008 5:30pm to 8:00pm
A Look at Non Violent Communication
Presenter: Scott Loring

Social time 5:30pm to 6:00pm
Intended Audience: MWI Court and Divorce Panel Members

Nonviolent Communication (NVC), developed by Marshall Rosenberg … examines the unmet needs behind what we say or do. The process transforms relationships with others and with one’s self … fosters respect, attentiveness and empathy, and engenders a mutual desire to give from the heart.

Location:
Fee:

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March 5, 2008 9am-4:30pm
Workplace Conflict Resolution Skills Training for Managers and HR Professionals
Presented by Agreement Resources, LLC: employment attorney Leslie Lockard and mediator Crystal Thorpe

Location: Norwood, MA
Fee: $495 by February 8, 2008, or $520 thereafter (includes lunch and materials)
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Thursday, March 6, 2008 9am - 4pm
Advanced Negotiation Skills for Dispute Resolution Professionals
Presenters: Moshe Cohen and Ericka Gray, OptionBridge

“… beyond “Getting to Yes” to a deeper exploration of the psychological factors that enter into negotiation, different styles of negotiation, and how to assist parties in understanding how their own negotiation styles are contributing to impasse.”

Location: TBA
Fee: $195 until 2/14, $220 after

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Thursday, March 6, 2008 2pm to 5:30pm
Assessing and Addressing Power Imbalances: Abusive Relationships and the Collaborative Process
Presented by: Mass Collaborative Law Council, Professor Margaret Drew, University of Cincinnati College of Law

Welcomed particiapnts: lawyers, mental health professionals, mediators, financial specialists and other professionals interested in collaborative practice.

Location: The Walker Center, 171 Grove Street, Newton, Massachusetts
Limited space. Register at www.massclc.org

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March 12, 15, 16, 19, 26, 29, 30, 2008
Forty-Hour Mediation Training Program
Presented by: Mediation Works, Inc.
(weekend & weeknight program) seven sessions / 40-hours total

“… designed to prepare participants to effectively facilitate the mediation process … explores all aspects of the mediation process through lectures, demonstrations, interactive exercises, supervised role-plays and group discussions.”

Location: Suffolk University Law School,120 Tremont Street, Boston, MA
Fee: $775 ($725 if enrolled a month in advance)

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March 28, 29, 31, April 4
Divorce Mediation Training
Presented by: Community Dispute Settlement Center

“This 24 hour course … integrates substantive information with practice through interactive role playing experience. Prerequisite: Basic Mediation Training.”

Location: CDSC Offices, 60 Gore St., East Cambridge (near Lechmere T, Galleria, courthouses)
Fee: $695 ($675 early registration by Mar. 14) See website for additional discounts.

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Ongoing training.

Community Dispute Settlement Center
Mediation Practicum

Mediation Works, Inc.
MWI Mentor Program

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Select future events.

April 13 - 16, 2008
International Ombudsman Association Annual Conference
3rd Annual Conference of IOA: “Making a Difference-The Ombudsman Impact”
The Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, MA

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UPDATE 2/16/08

A couple of events have popped up. March 7-8 Harvard Negotiation Law Review (HNLR) 2008 Symposium: Dispute Systems Design Across Contexts and Continents and March 8-29 36-hr Training in Mediation and Conflict Resolution.

I am beginning to learn to appreciate the art of the option. Timing, framing, body language.

Parties hear everything we say through their own filters. They are constantly considering their position, their options, their goals, their BATMAs, and their mediators: can they trust us, can they feel comfortable with us, are we truly neutral and will we really help them get what is to them a fair deal?

We hear the parties in a joint session. We hear each party in private sessions. Perhaps next we hold an additional private session with party (a), during which we plan to share with them an option put forth by party (b).

And here enters the art. To hear any additional thoughts or ideas party (a) would like to share, without appearing as though we are just waiting to get in there and share the information we’ve got in our pockets. And to put forth party (b)’s option, with the right introduction, the right tone, without appearing to be partial to any option or either party. What an art!

I think I might have missed opportunities to help parties settle by being too eager to share an option put forth by one party. Without laying the proper framework, especially without giving proper attention to highlighting parties’ commonalities, one party might actually go back on the defensive at hearing the mediator put forth the other party’s option. Just the opposite of what we’re looking for when putting forth an option that can help parties begin to move toward middle ground.

I think I’m going to try and imagine putting forth parties’ options to each other much like planting a seed and coaxing it to grow. It takes patience, delicate care, genuine attention to provide what is needed. The process can’t be forced. But if it’s trusted, something great can happen.

Lots happening in the Boston mediation community! Here’s a roundup of opportunities coming up this month and next.

And you can find nationwide listings here.
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Thursday, January 10, 2008 * 10 a.m. PST/ 1 p.m. EST
Is There Hidden Passive Income in Your Practice?
Stop Trading Time for $$$-Create Passive Income with Jan Marie Dore
ADR Practice Builder teleseminar

Sure, you can toil daily to make your hourly rate, but wouldn’t you rather make money with less effort? You can. Information products are a boon to mediators. You can educate your market about the benefits of mediation while creating a small income stream to support you.
Jan Marie Dore, founder of Femalepreneurs.com will share her insights on:

• Why information products are so valuable to service providers
• How to get over ‘I’m not an expert’ syndrome & really help people
• Finding the products you already created
• How to set prices that sell and more!

Tuition: $19 Members, $34 Non-Members before 12/31- $39 Jan 1
All registrants receive an audio recording as a bonus after the call.
Learn more and Register online.
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008 * 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
NE-ACR 2008 New Year’s Resolution Event
Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont Street, Boston

Come celebrate the New Year and hear some of your colleagues perform an acoustic “unplugged” set of songs that will keep you warm all winter long! With special musical guests “The New Trolls” (Featuring Chuck Doran, Jack Esher and David Hoffman)

Fees: $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers, and $20 for students.

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January 24, 2008 * 9 am - 4 pm
Dealing With High Emotions in Mediation
Boston University Conference Center at Tyngsboro

In this interactive and experiential workshop, learn the essentials of dealing with activated and demonstrated emotions during mediation. Examine both the participants’ emotional reactions to the negotiation process and the mediator’s reactions. Discover how to handle situations based on the reactions you observe in others and what you feel. Understand the psychological underpinnings of both real and strategic emotional reactions.
Trainers: Moshe Cohen and Ericka B. Gray, OptionBridge
Registration Fee: $195 until January 14, 2008, $220 thereafter
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Tues, January 29, 2008 * 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Conflict Resolution Skills Training for Eldercare Professionals & Nurses: Working with Families in Conflict
The Walker Center, 171 Grove Street, Newton, MA

Goals of the training are to help professionals:

• Facilitate multi-party decision-making
• Work with parties with strong emotions
• Build Conflict Resolution skills

Recommended for professionals who work with multiple family members making difficult decisions.

Elder Decisions
Register online
Cost: $195 six weeks prior to event; $225.00 thereafter (lunch included)
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February 6-7, 2008 * 9:00 – 5:00
Elder Mediation Training: An Advanced Training Program for Mediators
The Walker Center, 171 Grove Street, Newton, MA

Elder mediation helps seniors and their adult children resolve conflicts around issues such as living arrangements, caregiving, financial planning, inheritance/estate disputes, medical decisions, family communication, driving, and guardianship.
This program will familiarize mediators with the types of issues they may encounter when working with seniors and their families. It also will address some of the differences between elder mediation and other types of mediation. Topics include:

• Elder Mediation
• Challenges of Aging
• Legal Planning
• Multi-Party Role Play
• Marketing your Elder Mediation Practice

Elder Decisions
Register online
Cost: $595 Includes lunches, snacks, and course materials
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Monday, February 11, 2008 10 a.m. PST/ 1 p.m. EST
Multi-disciplinary Practice Benefits Parties and Practitioners
Day in the Life: Attorney/Therapist Mediation Team
ADR Practice Builder telesiminar

Any mediator knows that there are times when two heads are better than one, and you really wish one head was a therapist. As practitioners we know how helpful having another set of eyes and ears can be but how to we make that work in our practices? How do we convince clients to incur the expense?
Diana and Tara, partners in www. Peace-Talks.com will share their knowledge and experiences working as an attorney/therapist team resolving divorce and family matters. We’ll talk with this veteran team about:

• How they got their start
• How to avoid pitfalls and build a robust practice
• What to do or say to get past client resistance

Diana Mercer, Esq. and Tara Fass, LMFT
Tuition: $19 Members, Non-Members $34 before 12/31 $39 Jan. 1
All registrants receive an audio recording of the call as a bonus after the call.
Register online
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February 12, 2008 * 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
MWI Mediator Social Gathering
McFadden’s - 148 State Street, Boston
Intended Audience: MWI Court and Divorce Panel Members

Roundtable Description: Join MWI staff, mediators, and trainers for a social and informal evening of mingling and conversation at McFadden’s Bar in Boston. While enjoying a discounted cash bar, make new friends and share mediation stories. Lite snacks will be served. Stop by for a short time or stay for all three hours. Guests are welcome. McFadden’s is located behind MWI at 148 State Street. The back room will be reserved for MWI.
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Stay tuned for anther mediation trainings and events roundup for March & April.