If you’ve been thinking about gaining formal mediation skills — whether to launch your own conflict resolution practice, strengthen your leadership or HR capabilities, or simply become a more skilled communicator — this is your opportunity. The Conflict Management Academy is offering a brand-new Facilitative Mediation Course, combining flexible online study with an inspiring, in-person […]
Now’s the Time to Train as a Mediator! Read More »
Most mediators begin their journey solo — managing the process, reading the room, responding to shifting dynamics, and carrying the emotional load of conflict all on their own. But what happens when two mediators share that space? Co-mediation is a powerful alternative model where two practitioners work together to facilitate a mediation process. It’s more
Co-Mediation: A Reflective Guide to Working Together in Conflict Resolution Read More »
The Conflict Management Academy offers regular Business Brainstorming Sessions as an accompaniment to our Beyond the Table course. These sessions are facilitated by experienced mediator and successful business owner Megan Lewis. Here are some of the key insights and tips shared in the last session. Building a successful mediation practice takes more than just excellent
Growing a Mediation Practice: Practical Insights from the Field Read More »
By Samantha Hardy and Claire Holland Mediators play a crucial role in helping parties resolve disputes, but can they actually provide advice? The answer is more nuanced than it may initially appear. In Australia, mediation is predominantly a facilitative process, meaning mediators do not make decisions for the parties. However, there are circumstances where a
Can a Mediator Provide Advice? Understanding the Boundaries in Australia Read More »
In one of our recent masterclasses at The Conflict Management Academy, we discussed some of our recent learning from Dr Emily Skinner and Professor Elizabeth Stokoe, and workshopped improved ways to describe what we do. Here’s a summary of what we came up with. Thanks to participants (Debra Farrelly, Deb Black, Peter Hanson, Nurit Zubery,
How We Describe What We Do: A Guide for Mediators Read More »
Recently, we had the privilege of hosting Professor Elizabeth Stokoe for a webinar on her research into how intake staff at UK mediation centres communicate with callers seeking information. As a psychologist specializing in conversation analysis, Professor Stokoe examines real interactions rather than those happening in artificial experimental settings. Her work provides valuable insights for
The Subtle Art of Impartiality: Lessons from Conversation Analysis Read More »
This book is a memoir spanning generations of the Kwa family on different continents (including Australia where Mimi Kwa was born and lives). It’s a book about culture, family and conflict. At times shocking, at other times heart breaking, and in between sometimes hilarious, the book covers the challenges of conflict across families, generations and
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The House of Kwa, by Mimi Kwa Read More »
When someone says they’re a mediator, what image comes to mind? Probably someone who helps people in conflict work through their differences, right? Simple enough. But here’s the thing—mediators are not all the same. In fact, the mediation field is incredibly diverse, even though most practitioners don’t describe themselves beyond the generic label of “mediator.” There are many different
Exploring the Diversity of Mediation Read More »
This is a fascinating article that provides an overview of research into the individual, team and systemic level factors that contribute to conflict between clinicians within emergency departments. The researchers found that conflict often occurred during referrals or admissions from ED to inpatient or admitting units. Individual-level contributors to conflict include a lack of trust
* Thanks to Rebekka Kornmehl, Danielle Hutchinson, and Carol Bowen for their helpful feedback on this content. People in the conflict resolution field typically think of mediation as a client-centered, informal, and flexible approach to managing conflict. However, as highlighted by participants in the Symposium for Access to Justice for Autistic People in ADR in
Embracing Inclusivity in Mediation – A Pathway to Justice for Neurodivergent Individuals Read More »
