Summary of Meetings: ADR - Nanaimo
Number of Meetings Held: 5
October 5, 2023
Registration Count: 28
Guest Speakers: Janet Schmidt
Meeting Title/Topic: Help Your Clients Take the War Out of Their Words
Synopsis: As mediators, we are responsible for providing a safe environment for our clients to talk through difficult things. When clients use certain words during the mediation process, the impact on the other party can result in increased defensiveness, at times resulting in their inability to engage constructively. The focus of this meeting is to coach clients to leave the ‘war’ out of their words.
November 9, 2023
Registration Count: 27
Guest Speakers: Stephen McPhee, KC and Laura Allen
Meeting Title/Topic: Lawyers in Mediation: How to Help without Giving Up the Farm
Synopsis: Stephen McPhee, KC and Laura Allen discuss the role of counsel in mediations and how lawyers can be helpful both to the mediation process and to their clients when attending mediations. They share their observations as mediators as well as strategies and practices they employ as counsel and include time for sharing and troubleshooting with attendees.
February 29, 2024
Registration Count: 34
Guest Speakers: Phil Dwyer
Meeting Title/Topic: Mediation Skills Practice through the Lens of Improvisation
Synopsis: The three-legged stool (to quote Arlene Henry) of attitude, process, and skills can easily apply to musical improvisation. Join award-winning musician (and lawyer-mediator) Phil Dwyer in a discussion exploring the connection between improvisation and mediation. Drawing on 40 years of experience as a performer, composer, and educator, Phil shares his thoughts, and invites dialogue, on how music and mediation relate to each other both in general conceptual ways, and in relation to specific aspects of the mediation discipline.
April 18, 2024
Registration Count: 62
Guest Speakers: Michael Lomax
Meeting Title/Topic: Ten Principles for Mediating High Conflict Disputes
Synopsis: Michael Lomax presents on 10 key principles for mediating high conflict disputes. These principles are designed to help mediators become more comfortable working in challenging situations and supporting clients to remain in mediation, stay calm, and resolve their disputes. p>
June 20, 2024
Registration Count: TBD
Guest Speakers: Kerry Palmer
Meeting Title/Topic: Building Curiosity in Mediation
Synopsis: Kerry Palmer discusses the utilization of curiosity as a tool for mediations by leveraging open questions and the application of paraphrasing and reflective listening. You will come away with a greater understanding of when curiosity becomes challenging, and how to overcome those barriers in conversations and mediations ahead.