The Other Chair Podcast

Embarking on the journey from program participant to teacher can be challenging, with many rewards along the way for the instructor and the students who will be learning to bring together parties in conflict. Ivan Alter, attorney, mediator, and trainer for the Center for Understanding in Conflict, joins the Other Chair to discuss his experience becoming a teacher and his first time bringing the understanding-based model into a law school classroom.

Gary Friedman, author, mediator, and co-founder of the Center for Understanding in Conflict, joins The Other Chair to talk about his impressions of how the field of conflict resolution and mediation has changed and the evolution of the understanding-based model and the nonprofit he founded to advance awareness and education of conflict resolution practice to bring together people in conflict in communities across the country and globally since 1982.

This episode of The Other Chair explores the six underlying concepts of the Understanding-Based model, which can guide a conflict resolution professional through difficult moments and help structure the process to minimize the challenging moments. In this webinar recording, Catherine Conner and Katherine Miller will describe the six underlying concepts, their meaning, and, most importantly, how to use them.

Suzanne Fest, attorney, mediator, and trainer at Mediation Fest, a conflict resolution educational institute in Cologne, Germany, has nearly 30 years of experience mediating business and personal conflict. She joins The Other Chair to talk about her experience and plans for a future aimed at bringing conflict resolution tools and education to individuals in communities across the world.

Catherine Conner, director and trainer at the Center for Understanding in Conflict and an attorney practicing mediation and collaborative practice in Santa Rosa, California, joins The Other Chair to discuss the evolution of the 2022 Teacher Training program, the impact that trainers can have on making a difference in the world, and plans for the next cohort. The CUC's training programs have been popular for over 40 years because the Understanding-Based approach resonates with many people. Our trainings are powerful experiential education, carefully designed and skillfully taught. The Teacher Training program is for those motivated to develop their ability to teach Understanding-Based conflict resolution skills to others.

Katherine Miller, director and trainer at the Center for Understanding in Conflict and an attorney practicing mediation and collaborative practice in Westchester County, NY, joins The Other Chair to discuss the realities of working with emotions in mediation, including emotions in the room and the emotional reactions of the mediator.   When feelings begin to rise in the mediator, it can indicate that dynamics in the room are shifting, prompting a moment to bring the group together and identify and address the issues. For those in conflict, unpacking these charged and sensitive moments can lead to a resolution; for mediators, they can be vital to signaling when to push forward and when to suggest an alternative path.

Gary Friedman, author, mediator, and co-founder of the Center for Understanding in Conflict, joins The Other Chair to discuss the inspiration for his book Inside Out: How Conflict Professionals Can Use Self-Reflection to Help Their Clients. Dive into the process conflict resolution professionals can take to be aware of their internal reactions, feelings, and emotions while being present to help parties in conflict, along with the value of finding support through peer groups to practice skills and grow in self-awareness.

On this episode of The Other Chair, guest Aditya Arryan, mediator and chief of staff for YCM, talks about the work members are doing to create a culture of dispute prevention and resolution in India through co-creating conflict management policies, providing training, and mediation and conflict coaching services to uplift the community and avoid a difficult to access legal system which can take decades to give a ruling. YCM is India's first conflict management and mediation center for youth focused on promoting a more just and equitable future through understanding-based conflict resolution and prevention.

This episode of The Other Chair explores how advocates of restorative justice practices are working to bring together people and communities in conflict through mediation and coaching while addressing the realities of the criminal justice system, which often leaves victims and offenders without a path toward healing or understanding, only punishment and enduring lifelong trauma.  Earl Simms and Erin Kennedy from Restorative Community Solutions, a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit organization, share their experience working within systems to encourage change through collaboration, conflict resolution, and community engagement to support individuals transitioning back into society from homelessness, incarceration, and treatment facilities.

This episode of The Other Chair is for those who have taken a conflict resolution or mediation training, have begun developing the skills needed to serve clients in conflict, and are wondering how to make it their day job. Trainers Catherine Conner and Melanie Rowen discuss concrete tips for starting your own practice that includes or is focused on conflict resolution or alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and collaborative practice. Listen for an understanding of the basic steps towards running your own practice, ideas for networking and marketing, and ways to identify opportunities to serve clients.