The services I offer to organisations include:
- Mediation of conflict situations
- Facilitation of decision-making and visioning processes;
- Training in conflict resolution, real collaboration and effective dialogue/negotiation;
Recent organisations I have worked with include the NHS Fife, Edinburgh University Transition, the Coach House Trust, Priorities Areas teams in the Church of Scotland, the Edinburgh School of Biodanza and the Govan Folk University.
Sessions that I offer to individuals tend to focus on inner conflict (issues that affect our sense of wellbeing and integrity). They can also be in preparation to a difficult conversation (whether in a mediation session or not). In both cases, the focus is on understanding the conflict through the lenses of core beliefs and judgements we have or make about the situation, ourselves or the other person. We attempt to translate these 'enemy images' into fundamental needs or values i.e. what is most precious and connecting in our humanity, and reflect on possible strategies, choices and resources we have access to.
Mediation between individuals usually involves pre-mediation sessions with each party, the mediation session itself and follow-up (post-mediation) conversations.
The aim of the pre-mediation is to enable each party to feel fully heard on the issues they are struggling with and to prepare themselves emotionally for the mediation. We also explore what might motivate the other person to act as they do, increasing our understanding of what might be alive in them. Finally, we explore what will happen when both parties come together and the process that I use to mediate this space.
The mediation session itself focuses on helping each party to hear each other, connect at the level of our shared humanity and explore strategies and agreements that will be mutually beneficial.
A post-mediation conversation with each individual or both parties together is also offered after a little while. This is to harvest any learning that has emerged from the mediation process and check whether strategies and agreements are working ok for both parties.
The mediation approach that I use is inspired by the work of John Kinyon, a nonviolent communication certified trainer who specialises in mediation, as well as by the work of Miki Kashtan, co-founder of BayNVC in San Francisco and a profoundly inspirational trainer.
