Our current system of justice focuses on the offender. What harm did they cause? What do they deserve as punishment?What if we shifted our focus to the person who was harmed and asked different questions, like what needs to happen between the parties to make it right? How can everyone move forward?Matt Johnston is the Program Director with Domestic Violence Safe Dialogue, a Portland nonprofit focused on ending the cycle of domestic violence through safe, supervised conversations with survivors and surrogate offenders and helping both parties foster transformative change. Matt spent seven years working with men convicted of domestic violence offenses, and he is a firm believer in the principles of restorative justice.Matt joins Katherine to discuss the difference between restorative justice and the retributive system. He explains how the restorative process can be both more satisfying and more painful at the same time. Matt covers the desire for revenge and how it seems to dissipate when people feel heard.  Matt walks us through the programs offered at Domestic Violence Safe Dialogue and the top motivators for participation. Listen in for Matt’s insight on how restorative justice differs from forgiveness and how its principles could be applied to the divorce process.Topics CoveredHow the focus of restorative justice differs from the retributive systemWhy restorative justice is a deeper, more painful processHow money functions as an avoidance strategyThe value of direct participation in the restorative justice processThe healing nature of sharing perspectivesWhy the desire for revenge goes away when people feel heardThe myth that revenge will heal or offer closureHow restorative justice differs from forgivenessHow the restorative approach might be applied to divorceAcknowledge that dispute existsShare from both perspectivesCollaborate to determine what happenedThe situations in which restorative justice will not workThe programs offered at Domestic Violence Safe DialogueSafe dialogue programSurvivor impact panelsThe top motivations for enrolling in the programReduce sense of intimidationAnswer questions of WHYThe significance of self-forgivenessConnect with Matt JohnstonDomestic Violence Safe Dialogue: https://dvsdprogram.com/ResourcesDonna Hicks: http://drdonnahicks.com/Connect with Katherine MillerThe Center for Understanding Conflict: http://understandinginconflict.org/Miller Law Group: https://westchesterfamilylaw.com/Katherine on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kemiller1