A photo of a group in conversation with event date and time listed.

Conflict is part of life – but navigating it well requires more than instinct. This two-part online course gives you practical skills and a supportive structure to face conflict with intention, clarity, and empathy. You’ll learn how to prepare for, invite, and engage in challenging conversations that build understanding, even when stakes are high. This course is focused on conversations in which you are one of the parties in conflict although the concepts and tools are applicable to all conflict-laden conversations.

Course Overview

Through short lectures, guided reflections, group dialogue, and real-life role play, you’ll gain practical tools and insights to approach conflict differently. You’ll also explore your own reactions to conflict, work with allies, and practice core communication techniques like looping and checking for understanding.

The course is grounded in the Understanding-Based approach and structured around three essential areas:

• Preparing Yourself: Clarify your motivations and what’s at stake for you. Understand when a conversation may – or may not – be productive.
• Inviting and Structuring the Conversation: Learn how to invite others into a dialogue in a way that increases the chances of connection. Set clear agreements to create a safe and intentional space.
• Engaging in the Conversation: Practice staying grounded and responsive, even in the heat of conflict. Explore how to listen deeply, express your own truth, and work toward outcomes that reflect what matters most to all involved.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for anyone who wants to handle conflict more constructively – in personal, professional, or community settings. Whether you’re navigating a challenging work relationship, looking for a way to shift communication patterns in a community group or family or simply wanting to show up differently in difficult conversations, this training offers insight and practical tools to help you do so with more confidence and clarity.

What You’ll Gain

• A clear process for approaching difficult conversations
• Insight into your own patterns and motivations in conflict
• Practical experience inviting and engaging others in dialogue
• Tools to foster mutual understanding and make meaningful progress

Pre-Course Reflection

You’ll be asked to bring a real-life situation involving one of their own conflicts to explore during the course.

Program Schedule

• Dates: October 9 and 23, 2025
• Time: 12 – 2 PM PT / 3 – 5:00 PM ET
• Format: Online via Zoom
• Cost: $250 for the full series

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations within 30 days will incur a $250 admin fee. Within 2 weeks, 50% of the fee will be retained (half applicable to a future course). No refunds within 1 week of the course start unless a replacement participant is found. No refunds after the series begins.

Please note: Trainer availability may change without notice.

Trainers

Armine Baltazar is a mediator and a collaborative attorney in Los Angeles.  After over 20 years of practicing in the litigation arena, Armine finds it deeply fulfilling to help couples find a non-litigated way through divorce. She co-founded HEALTHY Divorce, a Los Angeles Superior Court pilot project that links lower-income divorcing couples with support services such as legal, parenting, mental health, and housing. She is also a member of CUC’s Programs Committee and is the Chair of Virtual Divorce California’s Diversity Committee.

Sethu Laxmi Nair is a mediator, facilitator, coach, and trainer in the fields of alternative dispute resolution and restorative practices. Currently, she serves as the Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Restorative Practices at the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, an innovative public service group that offers a blend of conflict resolution, training, and systems design options within and across the New York City government. Through her private practice, Sethu consults with nonprofit organizations and businesses, offering a unique blend of leadership coaching, mediation, and group conflict management.