The Other Chair Podcast

Co-Creating the Future of Mediation with Guest Susanne Fest

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.

Learning to Teach Conflict Resolution with Guest Catherine Conner

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. 

Working with Emotions in Mediation with Guest Katherine Miller

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. 

Going Inside to Help Those Outside with Guest Gary Friedman

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.

 

Leading Change in India through Mediation with Guest Aditya Aryan

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.

Healing Through Restorative Justice with Guests Earl Simms and Erin Kennedy

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.

Top Tips for Starting an ADR Practice with Catherine Conner and Melanie Rowen

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.

Conflict is Inevitable, Combat is Optional with Guest Ivan Alter

For many attorneys entering the legal profession, the reality that the system isn't as caring or altruistic as hoped can lead to disillusionment and a change of occupation. Join attorney, mediator, and teacher Ivan Alter on The Other Chair as he shares his experience overcoming the challenges of the adversarial system and how his transition to a career centered in mediation helped recapture a lifelong desire to be a force for positive change and healing for people who may see litigation as the only alternative to overcoming the conflicts that divide them.