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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260514T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260625T113000
DTSTAMP:20260420T045335
CREATED:20251117T171321Z
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UID:62652-1778749200-1782387000@understandinginconflict.org
SUMMARY:Your Next Steps: Launching Your Understanding-Based ADR Work
DESCRIPTION:Why This Series\nTransitioning from “I have training” to “This is part of my real work” can feel unclear and overwhelming. Many people are unsure where to start\, how to talk about what they do\, or how to build a practice that fits their life and values. \nThis series focuses on the practical and human sides of that transition. Together we will: \n\nExplore what draws you to consensual dispute resolution now\nConnect your internal motivations with realistic professional goals\nLook at your current work context and identify concrete next steps\nConsider how to bring people in the door in a way that feels authentic and sustainable\n\nThe emphasis is on real-world application\, honest conversation\, and mutual support among participants. \nWhat You Will Learn\nAcross the three sessions\, you will: \n\nClarify your motivations\, values\, and vision for doing ADR or mediation work\nIdentify your strengths\, gaps\, and barriers in making this shift\nMap your current professional situation against what you want next\nDesign a focused action plan for integrating conflict work into your practice or job\nExplore ways to speak about and offer your services that fit who you are\nDevelop simple strategies for outreach\, referrals\, and relationship building\nBuild accountability and support for taking your next steps after the series ends\n\nBetween sessions\, you will have brief reflective exercises and “homework” to deepen learning and keep momentum. \nWho Should Attend\nThis series is designed for people who: \n\nHave completed at least one conflict resolution\, mediation\, or ADR training\nAre excited about incorporating the Understanding-based Model into their work\nWant to add consensual dispute resolution to an existing profession\, or start a new practice\nFeel unsure how to begin or would benefit from structured guidance and community support\n\nWhether you are a lawyer\, mental health professional\, coach\, consultant\, HR professional\, ombud\, nonprofit staff member\, or come from another field\, this series will help you move from intention to action. \n\nI took this series because I needed to explore the transition from being a lawyer to conflict work. Your Next Steps taught me that making meaningful human connections is the best way to grow a mediation practice. One of the learners and I connected during breakout sessions in this course\, and she sent me a referral six months later. \n– Hansa R. Patel\, Mediator and Mindfulness Teacher \n\nTopics and Schedule\nSession 1 – May 14\, 2026: Assessing YourselfWe will look at where you are now\, what you are wanting for the future\, and what needs to change to move in that direction. You will identify possible internal and external barriers and begin naming your priorities. \nSession 2 – June 4\, 2026: Assessing Your Situation and Creating a PlanWe will delve into the concrete aspects of your current professional situation and compare them with your desired path. You will explore options\, resources\, and constraints\, and begin crafting a realistic action plan to close the gap. \nSession 3 – June 25\, 2026: Implementing the PlanWe will focus on putting your plan into motion. This includes how to talk about your work\, how to let people know about your new or expanded services\, and how to build relationships that can lead to opportunities and referrals. You will leave with clear\, next steps. \nFormat and Details\nDates and TimesMay 14\, June 4\, and June 25\, 20269:00 AM – 11:30 AM Pacific Time12:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern Time \nLocationLive Online (Zoom)After registration\, you will receive a separate email with Zoom connection details prior to the first session. Participants are encouraged to log in ten minutes early to troubleshoot any technical issues. \nStructureEach session includes brief presentations\, individual reflection\, small group exercises\, and large group conversation. Short assignments between sessions help you refine and test your evolving plan. \nCostThe training fee for the entire three-part series is $350.Participants are expected to attend all three sessions to benefit fully from the experience. \nAbout the Center\nThe Center for Understanding in Conflict pioneered the Understanding-based approach to mediation and is one of the first and only nonprofit conflict resolution training organizations worldwide. \nSince 1982\, the Center has trained more than 10\,000 professionals\, including leaders from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation\, Intel Corporation\, Roche\, SAP\, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Our approach is grounded in real-world practice\, human connection\, and the belief that conflict can be a doorway to transformation. \n \nFaculty\nMelanie Rowen is a mediator and conflict coach who believes in the power of understanding-based conflict resolution to transform our world. She frequently trains individuals and groups on conflict resolution skills with the Center for Understanding in Conflict and in other settings. \nMelanie has worked in professional development for many years\, including previously as the Associate Director for Public Interest & Public Sector Programs at Berkeley Law and in attorney development at Latham & Watkins LLP. In her law practice career\, Melanie litigated civil rights cases\, including marriage equality\, employment discrimination\, issues involving transgender and gender non-conforming youth and their families and issues facing LGBTQI elders\, at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights. Melanie’s mediation\, coaching and training practice focuses on improving dynamics where ongoing relationships are essential\, including workplace teams\, family and community organizational settings. \nCaitlin Meredith\, MPH\, MA\, is a mediator\, coach and conflict skills trainer who works with individuals\, organizations and families navigating transitions and conflict. Her curiosity about conflict led to 13 years with Doctors Without Borders in war zones in sub-Saharan Africa\, and then to consulting in the criminal justice system. After working in the aftermath of big conflicts\, she decided to learn more about preventing and working through disagreements through courageous conversations. This curiosity led her to the Center for Understanding in Conflict. In addition to her private practice\, Caitlin volunteers her time as a mediator for community and court-based mediation programs in Colorado and California. She also teaches Core Mediation and Negotiation classes at the Monterey College of Law and co-hosts a podcast about women’s financial literacy. In all of her endeavors\, Caitlin finds honest\, clear and vulnerable communication to be the key ingredient for creating meaningful connections in our lives. Also\, humor. \nCancellation Policy\nPlease note our cancellation policy for this series: there are no refunds 30 days before the program begins or after the start of the series. A credit may be applied to a future program if a request to transfer is made in advance of the series start date. \nPLEASE 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. \n  \n*Please select desired ticket and quantity using the +/- feature before clicking ‘Get Tickets.’
URL:https://understandinginconflict.org/event/your-next-steps-launching-your-understanding-based-adr-work-3/
LOCATION:ONLINE
CATEGORIES:Advanced Topics,Online Training,Practitioner Training
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260515T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260515T123000
DTSTAMP:20260420T045335
CREATED:20260121T203109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T182404Z
UID:62849-1778833800-1778848200@understandinginconflict.org
SUMMARY:Demystifying California Family Law
DESCRIPTION:Navigating family law can be challenging for professionals outside the legal field\, even those with experience working alongside divorce and custody cases. This workshop is designed to bridge that knowledge gap\, offering both newcomers and experienced practitioners a clear\, practical overview of California Family Law as it applies to their work. Led by a psychologist-mediator and an attorney-mediator\, participants will gain essential insights into the legal issues most commonly encountered by non-legal professionals — such as community property\, custody arrangements\, support obligations\, the documentation of agreements\, and general court requirements. \nThrough real-world examples and discussion\, attendees will learn how family law impacts their professional roles and client relationships. The ultimate goal of this workshop is to empower professionals to confidently engage in family law contexts\, fostering stronger collaboration and understanding between legal and non-legal disciplines. \nWhy This Training\nProfessionals who work with divorcing\, separating or non-cohabiting couples and families often find themselves navigating complex legal systems without formal training in family law. This can lead to uncertainty\, confusion\, and missed opportunities to best support clients. This workshop helps bridge that gap\, offering a clear\, practical understanding of California Family Law as it intersects with your professional work. \nWith a focus on real-world application\, this training empowers participants to engage more confidently and ethically in family law contexts — whether in a clinical\, advisory\, advocacy\, or consulting capacity. \nWhat You’ll Learn\nUsing real cases\, discussion\, and applied examples\, this workshop will help participants: \n\nUnderstand the structure of the California family law system\nIdentify how property division\, custody\, and support obligations affect your work with clients\nGain clarity on how agreements are documented and how the court system functions\nLearn the boundaries and ethical considerations for non-legal professionals in family law matters\nUnderstand how your professional role intersects with — and is shaped by — California family law\nBuild collaborative bridges with legal professionals while maintaining your own professional integrity\n\nWho Should Attend\nThis training is for any professional who works with families navigating divorce\, custody disputes\, or other family law matters — and who wants a clearer understanding of the legal landscape without a law degree. This includes therapists\, counselors\, psychologists\, financial advisors\, coaches\, educators\, school counselors\, social workers\, advocates\, mediators\, and other consultants who regularly interface with separating families. \n\nTherapists and counselors will learn the basics of family law as it affects their clients\, considering marriage\, separation and divorce as well as parenting issues in two separate households.\n\n\nFinancial and advisory professionals will gain a framework for how property division and support obligations are structured\, helping them guide clients within realistic legal boundaries.\nCoaches\, educators\, and advocates will develop a clearer picture of the court system and how family law decisions affect the families they serve.\nMediators and collaborative professionals will benefit from the presenters’ integrative approach that honors both psychological and legal perspectives\, creating space for more durable and child-centered outcomes.\nNewer professionals will leave with a foundational orientation\, while seasoned practitioners will deepen their understanding and clarify the limits and possibilities of their roles in legal processes.\n\nWhy It Matters\nNon-attorney professionals are often a critical part of the support system during divorce and custody disputes — but without legal fluency\, their contributions can be undermined or misunderstood. This training helps ensure that participants can: \n\nReduce ethical risk and confusion in their practice\nSupport clients with informed\, grounded guidance\nImprove outcomes for children and families in transition\nCollaborate more effectively with attorneys and the courts\n\nParticipants will leave with knowledge that is immediately applicable in their work — whether in therapy\, mediation\, financial planning\, coaching\, or consultation — and a stronger foundation for navigating the increasingly interdisciplinary world of family conflict. \nNote: This is a broad-strokes orientation\, not legal advice. In just four hours\, participants will gain a working familiarity with key concepts to support their professional roles — and a clearer sense of when and how to collaborate with legal counsel. \nFormat & Details\nDate & Time: Friday\, May 15\, 2026 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. \nLocation: Live Online (Zoom) \nCost: $150 \nAbout the Center\nThe Center for Understanding in Conflict pioneered understanding-based mediation and is one of the first and only nonprofit conflict resolution training organizations worldwide. \nSince 1982\, the Center has trained more than 10\,000 professionals worldwide\, including leaders from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation\, Intel Corporation\, Roche\, SAP and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Our approach is rooted in real-world practice\, human connection\, and the belief that conflict can be a doorway to transformation. \nPresenters\nStacey Shuster\, Ph.D. is a psychologist-mediator in private practice in the Bay Area. Trained as a couple\, family\, and child therapist\, she has taught Family Therapy in various graduate programs\, including the Department of Psychiatry at California Pacific Medical Center. Stacey supports separating and divorcing families as a mediator\, co-parent counselor\, and divorce coach. A frequent national presenter\, she offers consultation on same-sex divorce\, co-parenting challenges\, and Integrative Mediation to attorneys and mental health professionals. \nPaula M. Lawhon\, J.D. is a Certified Family Law Specialist and full-time family law mediator based in Marin County. With over 20 years of experience mediating family law cases and a background in civil and family litigation\, Paula brings deep legal knowledge and a collaborative spirit to her work. She earned her J.D. from UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) in 1999 and her B.A. from UC Irvine in 1996\, graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Paula regularly presents and writes on family law mediation and integrative dispute resolution models. \n                                    Additional Notes\nRegistrations received fewer than 72 hours before the program will be accepted at the discretion of the training team due to role-play and logistics needs. \nFor questions\, contact us at admin@understandinginconflict.org \n  \n**Please select desired ticket and quantity using the +/- feature before clicking ‘Get Tickets.’
URL:https://understandinginconflict.org/event/demystifying-california-family-law/
LOCATION:ONLINE
CATEGORIES:Live Training,Online Training,Other Events
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