Several weeks ago, The New York Times published an article about one of my favorite topics: Active Listening. Entitled “Practice Better Listening” by Kate Murphy,(Sunday, May 17, 2020, At Home section) the author notes that with life moving at a much slower pace these days, we have the opportunity and [Read More]
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois, June 16,1858 Like most of you, I have been paying much attention to the protests by Black Lives Matter in response to the death of George Floyd ; as I write this, the protests have been occurring all over [Read More]
An important tool in any mediator’s toolbox is knowledge of cultural diversity. Early on in any training session, this topic is explored and discussed. What do I mean by “culture”? As explained by Ellen Waldman in her book Mediation Ethics (Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2011): UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and [Read More]
Last week, I posted a blog about an article in the New York Times discussing the lost art of active listening. (“Are You Listening?”). It seems that my blog post was very timely because NPR just published an article on the loneliness of Americans. (“Most Americans Are Lonely, And Our [Read More]
Like many mediators, I usually serve some food during a mediation (along with water, coffee, tea etc.). Many of the participants are surprised and pleased when they come into the conference room and are greeted by these goodies. They probably think I am simply being hospitable. I am being more [Read More]
Recently, my husband handed me an article from the Washington Post which he saw while in D. C. on a business trip. It discusses implicit bias in the Emergency Room (ER) and thus, has nothing to do with mediation but everything to do with the biases we bring to everyday [Read More]
Several weeks ago, I wrote about the proposal by the State Bar to allow non-lawyers to practice law. More specifically, the proposal under the rubric allowing access to justice for more members of society include: Narrowing restrictions on the unauthorized practice of law (UPL) to allow persons or businesses other [Read More]
In my various mediator trainings, the use of an apology as a means of resolving a dispute has often been discussed and advocated. Indeed, books have even been written on the use and power of an apology. (See for example: On Apology by Aaron Lazare). I have even advocated its [Read More]
