Advanced Looping: Bringing Deeper Understanding to the Parties in Conflict
12/31/1969 - 19:00
AdvancedLooping
Bringing Deeper Understanding
to the Parties in Conflict
Friday, May 14, 2010, New York, NY
Overview
Central to our work with parties in conflict is the development and fostering of understanding. The foundation upon which this understanding rests is found, for us, in the loop of understanding or, as we term it, "looping." Through demonstrating our understanding of what parties in mediation are saying in our own words, but to their satisfaction, the dialogue in mediation can be focused and deepened, and understanding can be developed in a meaningful way.
We find looping invaluable in facilitating communication -- between the mediator and the parties and between the parties themselves -- and in helping them move through, and possibly out of, their conflict. Most obviously, looping can be used to develop an understanding of the substantive aspects of the parties' differing views - i.e. the factual components of their conflict. However, looping can also provide access to underlying and unspoken emotions, feelings, expectations and motivations that may be brought to light and more fully understood.
Significantly, looping can also allow mediators and parties to identify and to more fully understand the underlying conflict dynamic that keeps the parties stuck in their conflict."Looping the dynamic," as we term it, can be particularly useful with high conflict parties who are caught in repetitive and volatile conflict patterns. This dynamic is most evident when the reactions and responses of the parties to each-other produce an escalation in their conflict interaction or keep them mired in aggressive, unproductive, or harmful dialogue. But it is also often present in more subtle and nuanced ways that can keep the parties from working together to resolve their differences. Once the dynamic is identified and understood, dramatic changes in how the parties interact with one another become possible. And these changes can open up the space for more productive and successful dialogue.
Who Can Participate?
This is an advanced training and is open to those who have participated in a prior Center training in the Understanding-Based approach.
Focus of the Training
The training will have a strong practical focus on the elements and aspects of looping, balanced with opportunities to examine our and the parties' deeper motivations and intentions in seeking to develop greater understanding.
Specific areas of focus will include:
Review of and deepening our understanding of looping generally
Effectively and authentically looping emotions and implicit thoughts or feelings
Identifying the parties' conflict dynamic and their possible wish to move beyond it
Using looping to manage and de-escalate high-conflict
Identifying our own motivation when working with parties and deepening our appreciation of our work
Date, Cost, Place and Teachers
The training will be held in New York City on Friday, May 14th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with Jack Himmelstein and Sequoia Stalder.
Sequoia Stalder is a close Center colleague who has been working with the Center for several years. He is an attorney-mediator with a private practice in New York City that focuses on family mediation and organizational conflict management.Sequoia is also the Director of Conflict Resolution Services and the Director of the Mediation Training Institute at New York Center for Interpersonal Development, the court-designated community mediation center for Richmond County (Staten Island).He regularly lectures and trains on mediation and related topics, and is Vice President of the Family & Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York.
Fees: The cost of the training is $275 (with reduction to $250 for early bird registration).Discounts are also available based on economic need. Continuing Legal Education credit is available.
Registration
To hold a place, for registration forms, and to register, as well as for any questions, please e-mail or call us at the address and number that appear below.
"Greatprogram - I feel I have learned a means to effectively understand and address the anger and pain inherent in conflict and help the parties move toward resolution."
"The Center provides an extraordinary window into a surprisingly effective and enriching way to understand and deal with conflict. The interactive exercises and role-plays make the theory clear. The Understanding-based approach to conflict suggests ways of dealing with conflict not only in mediation but also in litigation, public policy, and in our lives."
"This was a great experience providing both professional and personal growth!"
"The program was extremely useful and helpful. It was a total paradigm shift from everything I thought I knew and had learned in my 17 year judicial career."
Upcoming Mediation Intensive Training
April 28-May 2, 2010
Westchester County, NY
The Mediation Intensive Training provides both experienced mediators and those new to the field with the perspective and skills necessary to work within the Center's model of mediation. Participants learn what it takes to shift from a stance of advocacy to one of mediation - for professionals and parties alike. The program is open to attorneys as well as other professionals working to integrate the principles of mediation into their practice or work. Our prior participants have included ombudspeople, collaborative coaches, family business consultants, non-profit staff and other professionals who work with conflict.
