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<title>conflict resolution (branching off from self organization...)</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333399" face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>Dear Chris,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333399" face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Not knowing much about the
profession of conflict resolution, I expect that there is a lot of resonance.<font
color="#333399"><span style='color:#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333399"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>Yes.</span></font><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
I imagine that there are many mediators who see themselves as space-holders
rather than fixers.<font color="#333399"><span style='color:#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333399"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>Yes.</span></font><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
I imagine that there are mediators who in some way invite those "in
conflict" to consider a larger circle of viewpoints by holding space for a
diversity of voices - not just the polarized "other" but a circle of
those affected and those who care.<font color="#333399"><span style='color:
#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=GramE><font size=2
color="#333399" face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:#333399'>Sometimes.</span></font></span><font size=2 color="#333399"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>For me, this happens most often in child
custody mediations.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>In these mediations,
I consciously hold space for the children.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>
</span>Sometimes I do this silently, and sometimes I verbalize it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><br>
My friend does victim-offender mediation, sometimes in the aftermath of violent
crime. There is much in common about how he and I prepare for our work,
but to me his space-holding requires more courage - warrior energy, tested
tried & true. And an <u>unwavering</u> trust in & service to the
transforming power of love.<font color="#333399"><span style='color:#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color="#333399"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>I’m
also involved in victim offender mediation, though I haven’t done a large
number of mediations in this area.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The
ones I’ve done have been with juvenile offenders.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Our local youth court has developed a victim
offender mediation program using youth and adult co-mediators to reflect the
typical mediation participants: youth offender and adult victim. <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>(Initially the program was set up with two
adult co-mediators.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>The youth-adult
co-mediation model is much better.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Interesting though...when I think of
"conflict resolution" I picture two people across a table from one
another, with a mediator in between, and I think, what a set-up. How
could there be healing without the circle? How could healing be sustained
without a circle of "the right people," who have responded to an open
invitation? And what would be the theme?<font color="#333399"><span
style='color:#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333399" face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>Two is a circle.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>So <span class=GramE>is</span> three.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><span class=GramE>Any more than one.</span><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Sometimes two or three is “the right
people.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#333399" face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3 color="#333399"
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'>Julie</span></font><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><br>
<br>
<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
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style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:#333399'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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