Texas Conflict Coach

There has been an increased emphasis on teamwork and collaboration in the delivery of health services over the past decade. Much of this has been due to research that indicates the need for good communication and coordination in order to provide safe and effective care to patients. But for most health professionals, daily conflict can interrupt teamwork and make communication difficult creating risk for patients and diminishing morale for healthcare workers.  In discussing this growing area of conflict resolution, Debra will talk about what conflict looks like in clinical work settings, why conflict is so hard to address among health professionals and what is happening to improve conflict management within healthcare organizations. Debra Gerardi is a healthcare conflict engagement specialist and consultant providing executive coaching, mediation and facilitation services, conflict assessment, and professional development programs to healthcare organizations internationally. She is currently President and Chi

During our series, esteemed leaders in law and dispute resolution Ms. Debra Hamilton of New York and Mr. Gary Norman of Maryland will discuss applying traditional as well as virtual Alternative Dispute Resolution tools in resolution of conflicts among people involving their animals. We will focus on every day events that impact pet ownership including divorce, neighbor, kennel, groomer vet or dogwalker/dogpark issues and in particular conflicts involving service or assistive animals. The public as well as practitioners in the legal or Alternative Dispute Resolution fields will learn the importance of having these difficult conversations involving animal related conflicts. Debra and Gary will explore how alternative dispute resolution methods, mediation or collaborative practice, help progress these difficult conversations towards resolution without litigation. Our guests will address various legal issues that might be involved at the mediation of animal conflicts. Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, is the principal of

During our series, esteemed leaders in law and dispute resolution Ms. Debra Hamilton of New York and Mr. Gary Norman of Maryland will discuss applying traditional as well as virtual Alternative Dispute Resolution tools in resolution of conflicts among people involving their animals. We will focus on every day events that impact pet ownership including divorce, neighbor, kennel, groomer vet or dogwalker/dogpark issues and in particular conflicts involving service or assistive animals. The public as well as practitioners in the legal or Alternative Dispute Resolution fields will learn the importance of having these difficult conversations involving animal related conflicts. Debra and Gary will explore how alternative dispute resolution methods, mediation or collaborative practice, help progress these difficult conversations towards resolution without litigation. Our guests will address various legal issues that might be involved at the mediation of animal conflicts. Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton, is the principal of

Ken Cloke is renowned for his decades of work, passion and dedication to bring peacemaking tools to wherever he believes he can be of service whether it is in the U.S. or around the world. In this episode, The Language of Conflict, Ken will share his personal journey into conflict resolution and peace-making and what keeps him here is this field. He will also share his philosophy of peace-making and what he believes can bring us closest to peace. His global work, research and teachings lead Ken to write numerous books including his most recent The Dance of Opposites which explores a new vision for conflict resolution and the use of language in conflict. Listeners will get an opportunity to think about how they might change their own language of conflict. Kenneth Cloke is a mediator, arbitrator, coach, consultant and trainer, specializing in resolving complex multi-party disputes, including marital, divorce, family, grievance and workplace disputes, collective bargaining, organizational, public policy, and sc

During our series, esteemed leaders in law and dispute resolution Ms. Debra Hamilton of New York and Mr. Gary Norman of Maryland will discuss applying traditional as well as virtual Alternative Dispute Resolution tools in resolution of conflicts among people involving their animals. We will focus on every day events that impact pet ownership including divorce, neighbor, kennel, groomer vet or dogwalker/dogpark issues and in particular conflicts involving service or assistive animals. The public as well as practitioners in the legal or Alternative Dispute Resolution fields will learn the importance of having these difficult conversations in divorce, the neighborhood, the tavern, and the workplace involving animal related conflicts. Debra and Gary will explore how alternative dispute resolution methods, mediation or collaborative practice, help progress these difficult conversations towards resolution without litigation. In discussing the kinds of arenas where conflicts about animals may arise, our guests will

"During the month of December, please enjoy these previously recorded shows...The Best of 2013. We will return live every Tuesday night beginning January 7, 2014. Enjoy the Holidays!" “The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) is proud to be a founding partner of the National Youth Violence Prevention Campaign. The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness and to educate students, teachers, school administrators, counselors, school resource officers, school staff, parents, and the public on effective ways to prevent or reduce youth Violence. This week long national education initiative will involve activities that demonstrate the positive role young people can have in making their school and community safer.”   Tune in to hear more about SAVE, Violence Prevention Week, and practical ways listeners can be a part of the violence prevention movement! Argrow ‘Kit’ Evans has been connected to the National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere for 16 years where she i

"During the month of December, please enjoy these previously recorded shows...The Best of 2013. We will return live every Tuesday night beginning January 7, 2014. Enjoy the Holidays!" In this age of instant communication and instant gratification sexting has become all too common for those in love. Teenagers are no different, while many teens openly admit that they know it's wrong to send these sexual photos, many feel the odds of getting caught are so low that they are willing to take the risk. Unfortunately, they are disconnected from the life-long consequences of their behavior and risks of hurting not only themselves but those they love. Join Raychelle Lohmann as she discusses how you can protect and talk to teens about this difficult issue. Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, M.S., L.P.C., is a professional counselor, author, speaker, blogger for Psychology Today and contributor to Sharecare.  She has also worked in middle school and high school settings as a school counselor. Raychelle is the author of three b

"During the month of December, please enjoy these previously recorded shows...The Best of 2013. We will return live every Tuesday night beginning January 7, 2014. Enjoy the Holidays!" Home of McGruff the Crime Dog, the National Crime Prevention Council’s mission is to be the nation's leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. To achieve this, NCPC produces tools that communities can use to learn crime prevention strategies, engage community members, and coordinate with local agencies. One of NCPC’s primary initiatives centers on preventing cyberbullying – what parents, educators and kids can do to combat the prevalence of bullying online and resolve interpersonal conflicts in a peaceful and respectful manner. Michelle Boykins from NCPC will speak about cyberbullying as part of the series on youth violence in support of the National Campaign to Prevent Youth Violence. Michelle Boykins, Director of Communications at the National Crime Prevention Council,

Appddiction Studio’s Stop Bullies district wide smartphone app empowers bystanders to capture bully events as they occur and report them to school administrators in real time. School administrators can then begin to investigate the incidents immediately utilizing the Stop Bullies secure dashboard which allows for the receipt, analysis and management of incidents across the district. With incident information captured by the bystander trained professionals within the school can put their training and intervention expertise to work thus making the campus safer. School counselors can then work on proactively preventing the next incident without spending valuable time on “He said-She said” type interviews. Mr. Porter recommends that every school district should consider implementing the Stop Bullies app. Stop Bullies can be downloaded by district students in grades K-12 to work on any smartphone regardless of platform including iPhone/iPad/iPad Mini/iPod Touch/Android/Android Tablets/Windows 8/Blackberry and is

Our brains are changing all the time. We can be in control of those changes or we can have accidental brains, ruled by habit. Stephanie will show you how you can break bad habits, set and reach goals, and maximize your ability to handle conflict through the process of self-directed neuroplasticity. By using some basic techniques, you can take charge of how your brain changes. You can rewire your brain on purpose. Stephanie practiced law for several years in CA, and has been a mediator since 1981. She has consulted with lawyers on a variety of topics, and spent a number of years as lawyer training director at a large firm. She also designs and presents Continuing Legal Education programs with a focus on conflict resolution. She is the author of Creating Your Own Funeral or Memorial Service: A Workbook and many articles on workplace and professional issues.  She maintains a blog on neuroscience and conflict resolution and a law-related blog. Zena Zumeta, internationally known as both a mediator and trainer of

On December 14, 2012, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school where 26 people lost their lives shook the Connecticut community to its core and the news spread around the world. What do you do to help in these times of pain, angst and profound loss? Denise Labrecque and her friend Evan Betts created and founded Voices for Heroes, a small non-profit organization dedicated to the heroes of the world. Voices for Heroes celebrate kindness, perseverance, love, and anyone who uses their voice to promote peace and change. We will talk with Denise and Evan about their story and the musical projects they have spearheaded to raise funds for Healing Newtown and their inaugural Power of Peace Festival which is to be held annually. Learn about their tribute CDs and listen to music from Connecticut Voices for Heroes and their 2-disc CD Voices from Around the World: Original Songs of Love for Newtown. Join us! Be inspired! “Be the change!”

Dealing with the normal stress of the holidays can be enough to handle. Then add those annoyances and disruptions you have to deal with in your neighborhood…loud holiday parties, cars blocking roads and your driveway, those bright holiday lights and decorations. All invading your peace and quiet. The holidays can bring people together just as equally as they can erupt into full blown holiday mayhem. Pattie and Stephen will discuss strategies to keep neighbor conflict at bay and help you manage your triggers to those nuisances you cannot control. Pattie Porter, LCSW, AAP is the President of Conflict Connections®, Inc.  Pattie has worked extensively in the dispute resolution field for nearly 20 years. Pattie is a licensed clinical social worker and holds the Advanced Practitioner-Workplace Mediator designation from the Assoc. for Conflict Resolution, the Credentialed Distinguished Mediator from the TX Mediator Credentialing Assoc., and the CINERGY® certified advanced conflict coach and coach-mentor.  She is a

The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family but the stress of getting there can wreak havoc on an otherwise joyous occasion. Following my mottos of"Know before you go" and "Plan and Prepare" you can start the holidays off on the right path. Ja'Vonne Harley shares her experience on dealing with TSA, managing the family, toting gifts and even how to be a good house guest and host! Ja'Vonne Harley is President and founder of Advantage International, LLC, and Co-Host of The Traveling Eye. She is an experienced traveler and travel specialist with over 20 years of industry experience. She travels at least one third of the year, designing and escorting trips around the world, has a world of knowledge and the ability to make it easily understood.  Ja’Vonne along with Bonnie DeShong created The Traveling Eye, a one hour radio show that’s all about travel. Zena Zumeta, internationally known as both a mediator and trainer of mediators. She is president of the Mediation Training & Consultation Institute, Ze

Social media and the Internet are transforming society, providing new benefits but also new hazards. Some have suggested that online communication and collaboration may lead to decreased civility, mutual understanding, and communicative clarity, as compared with face-to-face methods. Such negative trends can occur, but are they inevitable? We have been investigating whether online communication tools can actually support more skillful communication and deeper mutual understanding, especially in situations involving conflict, controversial topics, or differences in goals and perspectives. Leah Wing serves on the faculty at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. She has been a mediator and trainer for educational institutions, government agencies, and non-profits since 1985. She is the founding director of the Social Justice Mediation Institute. Leah, co-director of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution, heads it's Art of Conflict Transformation program.  Tom Murray is a Senior Research Fe

In this session, Dr. Patricia Adams will highlight the importance of preparing for the holiday season to save yourself from the amount of stress that can creep in with the season. By following the simple steps of Planning Early, Exercising Regularly, Accepting Help, Creating a New Tradition, and Enjoying Today, you can erase the stress and headache that can set in. Dr. Patricia Adams will highlight this method to use these tips to handle the holidays before they handle you! Patricia E. Adams, President of Zeitgeist Wellness Group is a family therapist and one of only ten women nationwide to be named 2011 Entrepreneurial Winning Women by Ernst & Young LLP. As a subject matter expert, Dr. Adams has more than 16 years of experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is a certified mediator and crisis intervention specialist. Dr. Adams is the author of “ABCs of Change: Three Building Blocks to Happy Relationships.” The Zeitgeist Wellness Group is an authorized provider of 41 insurance/employee a

Whether you are at the water cooler, in the hallway or stuck in a never- ending meeting, we all have to deal with co-workers from hell. Join Pattie Porter and Stephen Kotev to learn lessons from conflict coaching experts on how to respond differently, effectively and constructively to the most challenging of coworkers. We will provide a couple of typical workplace scenarios and play out what typically happens, and then share lessons and strategies for how to do it differently. Pattie Porter, LCSW, AAP is the President of Conflict Connections®, Inc. in San Antonio, TX.  Pattie has worked extensively in the dispute resolution field for nearly 20 years providing mediation, team facilitation, negotiation training, conflict management and abrasive leader coaching services to individuals, businesses, government agencies and higher education institutions.  Pattie holds the Advanced Practitioner-Workplace Mediator designation from the Assoc. for Conflict Resolution, the Credentialed Distinguished Mediator from the TX

As part of our Workplace Conflict series, Lee Jay Berman with the American Institute of Mediation (AIM) will share his experience and expertise as an executive coach working with organizations and senior leadership in managing conflict in a proactive way. Typically, organizations and leaders have blind spots when it comes to understanding, recognizing and managing conflict constructively.   It is not uncommon for leaders to be blind to how their behaviors, body language and communication impact staff in negative ways especially when it comes to rising conflict. Organizations have blind spots too when it comes to handling problem leaders. Not recognizing these blind spots perpetuate the situation. Organizations and leaders will learn the key blind spots and how to remove them. Lee Jay Berman became a full-time mediator 19 years ago.  He has successfully mediated over 1,700 matters and is a panelist at PMA Dispute Resolution, a boutique firm based in Los Angeles.  Also a prominent trainer in the field, Lee Jay

Trust is a key element of our personal and professional relationships. Without it progress grinds to a halt and disagreements become rampant amongst friends, coworkers, and leadership. No matter if you are the newest hire or the CEO; you need to understand what trust is and how it is build and that distrust is not just the absence of trust, but a separate, malignant problem!  This program will provide you with specifics on how to build trust and overcome distrust. John Settle is a certified mediator and mentor mediator who is an ACR Advanced Workplace mediator. He is on the faculty of George Washington University’s Center for Excellence in Public Leadership. He specializes in workplace applications, and speaks widely on trust, negotiation skills, mentoring, conflict management, and ADR subjects. Stephen Kotev is a Washington D.C. based conflict resolution consultant offering mediation, negotiation, conflict analysis, facilitation, training and somatic education to private and government clients. He holds a Ma

Whether it’s a difficult co-worker, a demanding boss or an angry client, you can learn to handle conflict at work effectively by managing your internal reactions first. Kathi Elster and Katherine Crowley show us how to cool down, then find the words to move a potentially hazardous work situation forward in a constructive manner.  Join Kathi, Katherine and Pattie Porter for a lively discussion on how to apply proven techniques for successfully navigating your most challenging workplace relationships. Katherine Crowley is Harvard-trained psychotherapist and Kathi Elster is a management consultant and executive coach.  They are the co-authors of Mean Girls at Work – How to Stay Professional When Things Get Personal, Working with You Is Killing Me, and Working for You Isn’t Working for Me. Their firm, K Squared Enterprises, is dedicated to helping clients manage interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

In the dynamics of organizations, there are times when divisions or departments or specific people within these divisions/departments appear to have differing agendas. Sales leadership implements a CRM system and the sales team views this as an impediment  to selling and being  in the field. A company division considered a cost center is competing for resources with a division that is revenue generating.These differing agendas can and most likely will create conflict between the divisions.  This conflict can result in loss of productivity, low morale, and loss of key personnel.  The other, more production option, is to use specific skills to transform that conflict into positive change. Dawn Miller Sander is a sales professional by trade. Dawn completed a 20+ year career with AT&T and moved to work in her area of passion, addressing conflict within families and organizations using various tools and training and dialog. Dawn is now leading the firm Conflict Transformation Associates, LLC. Nicole Perrott