Join Us for SCPI: Conflict and Compassion — A Retreat for Reflection, Resilience, and Renewal

In a world where the challenges around us—from climate change to political division to daily interpersonal tensions—can feel overwhelming, how do we stay connected, grounded, and engaged without losing ourselves?

At Conflict and Compassion, a Self-Reflection for Conflict Professionals Intensive (SCPI) retreat, we invite you to step away from distractions and overwhelm and into a space of deeper listening—both inward and outward. Together, we will explore how our emotional reactions shape how we show up in our lives and our work. By turning towards these reactions with curiosity and care, we can cultivate a greater sense of resilience, clarity, and compassion.  Together, we will immerse ourselves to understand how to use these emotions to cope, survive and flourish and help others to do so.

This retreat is especially for those who regularly engage with conflict—mediators, therapists, lawyers, human resource professionals, activists, journalists, leaders, and caregivers. Whether we want to or not, we bring our full emotional selves into the room: frustration, fear, heartbreak, and sometimes hope. These feelings, often hidden or ignored, can become powerful allies in helping us connect more authentically—with others and with ourselves.

Through reflective exercises, dialogue, role play, and meditation, we will look closely at our inner lives, our work, and our relationship to conflict. Together, we’ll practice staying open, present, and available—even in the face of difficulty.

We’ll do this work in the serene and inspiring setting of Mar de Jade, nestled on a peaceful stretch of the Pacific Coast north of Puerto Vallarta. This beautiful retreat center offers nourishing food, yoga, swimming, and space to wander, rest, and restore. Long afternoon breaks allow time to relax, connect with nature, or simply enjoy the quiet.

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful time of learning, growth, and connection.

Location:

Mar De Jade Retreat Center, Chacala, Mexico.  Visit www.mardejade.com for additional information and photos.

*A portion of proceeds from guests’ stays at Mar de Jade support its non-profit programs, operated by MDJ Community Projects, which currently include: El Jardín, a Montessori – Waldorf inspired K – 9 school in Chacala; TAO de Jade a trade school for youth who have dropped out of secondary school because of economic hardship; and El Rancho, an Organic Farm that supplies many of the products for Mar de Jade’s delicious meals.

Dates:

• Saturday, January 24, 2026 through Saturday, January 31, 2026.
• Our first session will be on the morning of January 25 to allow for travel to Chacala on January 24 and we will end on the evening of January 30 to allow for return travel on January 31.

Training fee:

• The training fee (not inclusive of accommodation) is $1,695.
• A $500 deposit is required to hold your place. If a deposit is made, the remaining balance is due by November 1, 2025.
• If registering after November 1, 2025, payment in full is required at the time of registration.

Scroll all the way to the bottom to register for the training.  Housing is booked separately – see below.

Accommodation and Facility fee:

Logistics:

• Housing and meals – includes 7 nights accommodations and 3 delicious buffet style meals per day.
• The following are extra and optional:  bar drinks, spa treatments, and gratuities.
• Pick-up and transportation from and to the Puerto Vallerta airport is available at an additional cost.
• Excursions are available during our long afternoon break at an additional cost.
• Please visit here for Mar de Jade’s cancellation policy and other FAQs.

Who are the Trainers?*

Hansa Patel is an attorney, mediator, and teacher.  As an attorney, Hansa zealously advocated for abused and neglected children or defended their parents’ rights in the San Francisco juvenile dependency court for fourteen years.  Hansa is passionate about serving the underprivileged community.  Feeling depleted by the court system, Hansa explored new ways to empower her clients to resolve conflict.  Mediation empowers Hansa’s clients to choose how they want to engage with conflict, co-create resolutions, and even transform a relationship.  In the USA, Canada, and Africa, Hansa teaches mediation, including integrating mindfulness skills into conflict resolution.  Hansa wants her clients to have the same tools she cultivates in her children:  a mindful approach to resolving challenges in life.

Catherine Conner has been a mediation and collaborative practice trainer since 2004. She is a frequent presenter at collaborative conferences and family law workshops. She authored Collaborative Practice Materials with Steven Neustadter and Margaret Anderson. Catherine Conner’s private practice focuses on family law alternate dispute resolution, including mediation, collaborative practice, and private judging. She graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Law in 1982 and is a founding partner of Conner, Lawrence, Rodney, Olhiser & Barrett, LLP. In 1992, Catherine became a Certified Family Law Specialist.  She has been honored as the recipient of the Rex Sater Award for Excellence in Family Law, the Eureka award by Collaborative Practice California and was the 2018 honoree for Careers of Distinction.  She was on the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals from 2007-2014 and served as the President in 2013.

Gary J. Friedman has been practicing law as a mediator with Mediation Law Offices in Mill Valley, California since 1976, integrating mediative principles into the practice of law and the resolution of legal disputes. Co-founder of the Center for Understanding in Conflict (formerly the Center for Mediation in Law), he has been teaching mediation since 1980. Prior to his work as a mediator, he practiced law as a trial lawyer with Friedman and Friedman in Bridgeport, Connecticut. After several years as an advocate, he sought a new approach to resolving disputes through increasing the participation of the parties in the resolution of their differences. At that time, he and his colleague, Jack Himmelstein, began to develop the Understanding-based model that is now practiced extensively in the United States and Europe.

Norman Fischer is a poet, author, Zen Buddhist priest and former abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. As founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation (www.everydayzen.org), his work with meditation practice has taken him into many corners of contemporary American life including the arts, education, hospice training, education, and lawyering as a spiritual path. Recently, he began offering meditation training to engineers at Google. Norman has worked with the Center for Understanding in Conflict on inquiries that focus on bringing the calmness and insight of meditation practice directly into conflict situations. Norman has written 29 books. His latest books are Untitled Series: Life As It is and The World Could Be Otherwise: Imagination and the Bodhisattva Path.

Continuing Education Credits:

Legal: The Center for Understanding in Conflict is an accredited provider of California Continuing Legal Education. This training  – appropriate for both newly admitted and experienced attorneys – will qualify for 30 CA MCLE credit hours.

Photo and Video Notice

We’re excited to have you at our training event! Please note that we may be taking photos and videos to capture the wonderful moments and share them in our promotional materials, including social media, websites, and brochures. If you prefer not to be photographed or recorded, just let one of our friendly organizers or trainers know. We’ll be happy to respect your wishes and ensure your privacy.

Refund Policy

A full refund, minus a $250 administration fee, will be made if cancelled prior to September 1, 2025. A 50% refund will be made for cancellations between September 1 and November 1 unless we are able to fill your place.  No refunds will be made after November 1 unless we are able to fill your place.

PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED LESS THAN 72 HOURS PRIOR TO PROGRAM START WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE TRAINING TEAM DUE TO DEMANDS OF PREPARATION TIME AND ROLE PLAY ASSIGNMENTS.

For additional information, please email us at [email protected].

*Please note that trainers are subject to availability and may change prior to program start without notice.

**Please select desired ticket and quantity using the +/- feature before clicking ‘Get Tickets.’