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One of the challenges that divorcing couples have is both parties agree ing to the process they will use to resolve their issues.  If one person is convinced that mediation is a good option in their situation, getting the other person’s “buy in” isn’t a given.  After... Read More →

This winter I took advantage of an opportunity to learn tips about opening a new business.  That opportunity was the Yakima County Development Association’s Enterprise Challenge.  The YCDA helps small, emerging businesses grow through a series of evening workshops and coaching on... Read More →

I recently read Oliver Ross’s article entitled “Divorce Mediation: A Prototype for Positive Co-Parenting” on Mediate.com’s website.  The article highlights the good things mediators do to model effective communication skills that parents can use during, and after, their divorce... Read More →

I had the opportunity to participate in the Yakima County Volunteer Attorney Services’ annual Veterans’ Day Continuing Legal Education program last week. I participated in a panel on how attorneys can help their parties prepare for mediation. The panelists responded to questions... Read More →

I was glad to be one of the experts interviewed for an article that Reporter Mai Hoang wrote for the Yakima Herald Republic on how to prepare for, and have, conversations with extended relatives on topics that may prove contentious or uncomfortable. You can read the article, and... Read More →

Maryland Mediator, Sarah Malik, in an article “Doing Your Homework Before Mediation: Increasing the Likelihood of Success” recently outlined how people can effectively prepare for family law mediation sessions. Her tips are short but sweet and likely will be helpful to many... Read More →

I was intrigued by the title, “If You Want Your ‘Day in Court’, Don’t Go to Court”.  The title sounds counterintuitive doesn’t it?  Author of the blog post, Michael Zeytoonian, a practicing attorney, mediator and arbitrator from Massachusetts, argues that what people really mean... Read More →

What can mediation teach us about civility? In the life of our nation, public discourse seems to be at an all-time low. People of different political persuasions have a very hard time listening to each other and demonizing “the other” is rampant. The ties that bind us together... Read More →

As part of my keeping abreast of new developments in the field of mediation, I read articles by other dispute resolution professionals on Mediate.com. This one really struck me as both having a lot of good content for mediators and resonating with my experience as a mediator. In... Read More →

Matt Fairbank, Sageland Mediation and Facilitation Service Principal Consultant, recently attended the Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference in Seattle. “The annual conference has been a great way to keep abreast of the latest thinking in the conflict resolution field.... Read More →