As conflict professionals, we become great at observing and responding to the words used by parties in conflict.  But there is a whole different level of interaction happening at the same time – that of the parties’ dynamic, i.e., what’s happening at a meta level including what’s their nonverbal communication.  For instance, we can learn a lot by noticing the parties’ tone of voice, how much they interrupt, their body language, and how they’re interacting.  Part of our job as conflict professionals is to observe the tenor of the interaction between the parties, and to make sure the discussion is moving forward.

Reflecting our observations of their dynamic back to the parties can help them better understand whether this interaction is working for them and whether it’s a productive way to move forward and sometimes it can provide the keys to unlock the conflict.

In this webinar you will learn how to:

1. Observe the parties’ dynamic and their nonverbal interaction.
2. Reflect your observations to the clients
3. Work with the clients to escape their conflict trap.
4. Strengthen each party’s autonomy by creating the structure for each to have the safe space to express their own views.
5. Focus the clients’ attention on understanding each other.

Join Michelle Exline Minovi and Joy Rosenthal on Tuesday, March 11th to learn how to use this important tool to help your clients.

Who Are the Trainers?

Michelle Exline Minovi is a highly skilled divorce and family mediator with 12+ years family law experience.  As Managing Attorney at the legal services non-profit Ayuda in Washington, D.C., Michelle represented low-income and Spanish-speaking immigrant clients in complex matrimonial cases in the context of domestic violence. After moving to Brooklyn, Michelle litigated and won sole custody on behalf of a mother of two children who was forced to leave the ultra-orthodox community because she identified as queer. After three years of intense litigation, Michelle wondered if there was an alternative way to divorce. Michelle knew she had to pivot from litigation to mediation when she took her first mediation training at the Center for Understanding Conflict.

Joy S. Rosenthal, Esq. has been mediating divorce and practicing collaborative law since she started Rosenthal Law & Mediation in 2006.  Before going out on her own, Joy represented children in foster care and in delinquency (criminal) proceedings. Joy taught family law at the City University of New York School of Law for several years, and developed an online course called Landing On Your Feet – A Compassionate Lawyer’s Guide to Divorce for people who are going through divorce and separation.  The child support calculator on Joy’s website is used by lawyers and court staff throughout New York State.  She is thrilled to be a CUC trainer!