Umbreit's Humanistic Mediation: A Transformative Journey Of Peacemaking

Fells (2016, p. 211) wrote “ just as a doctor works to bring a person back to health, so too a mediator works to bring a deadlocked negotiation back to a situation where the parties can reach agreement”. This essay discusses this statement with reference to contemporary research on dispute resolution. In order to comprehend how this is achieved, we must consider the essence of mediation, the different types of mediation and what mediators do. Negotiation and mediation are process used to resolve opposing preferences between parties. Negotiation is defined in Fells (2016, p. 3) as “a process by which two parties with differences that they need to resolve try to reach agreement through

These mediation proceedings are not conducted under oath, do not follow traditional rules of evidence and are not limited to developing the facts. Mediators are expected to draw out the parties' perceptions and feelings about the events that have brought them into conflict. It also encourages parties to acknowledge

Navigating the Different Responses to Conflict Conflict is an inevitable part of human life that produces a variety of responses that reflect the unique characteristics of an individual’s mindset and approach to the conflict. People exhibit a plethera of reactions when going through conflict, from composed conversations to ferocious protests. The manner in which someone chooses to deal with problems reflects their personality and attitude toward resolving conflicts. When you confront a problem calmly and with a positive way of thinking, you will be able to foster empathy and a sense of connection with others, while being able to express your viewpoint clearly. This will enable you to build strong and long-lasting relationships and settle conflicts without hurting you or anyone else.

Human Services is a fascinating field. Throughout this field, there are many different ways which one can help their fellow man. During my travels of re-education, I have learned how much one can help and how much people need help from others. Through this assignment, I came across the following websites which reaffirmed my mission in life; to care and help for others.

He is no longer a colleague, neighbor, or community member, but a juvenile delinquent, felon, offender, neglectful parent, or abusive spouse” (Connors, 2016, p. 25). In this way, “peacemaking offers an alternative to the limitations of the adversarial system by recognizing the importance of relationships. An understanding of the effect of the problem on all parties leads to meaningful demonstration of responsibility and accountability for harmful acts” (Connors, 2016, p. 26). Peacemaking allows for voices to be heard, feelings to be shared and thoughts to be pondered. This process encourages respect, compassion and empathy between all parties involved and also caters to the

The study of peace can often be complex and multifaceted due to its multidimensional outlook on certain cultural, political and environmental influences. As the United States entered the spring of 2017 it saw itself becoming more polarized and conflicted. The election of Donald J. Trump has provoked many emotions for Americans but whether good or bad, republican, or democrat, it has most noticeably been a year of difficulty. Unity is an aspect that people from both sides of the isle have been questioning and trying to address. In Trump’s first extended statement as president-elect, he used unity as a deliberate theme, stating:

The Western Justice Center (WJC) function is to promote conflict resolution education and peer mediation in schools. Evident, the conflict arises every day and everywhere, such as in school setting, where one student has an issue with another. Specifically, WJC objective is to train teachers at school to conflict resolution, mediation skills, then train the peer students to mediate as well, so when in conflict the peer student is able to operate a mediation conference with a trained support. As illustration, disputes between students usually end up with a physical fight, bullying and frequently ends with lost friendship. There are many incidents where disputes become bullying case and escalate to serious casualties. In the event there is a disagreement the students have an opportunity to go to peer mediator in order to participate in alternative dispute resolution process. To point out, Pasadena middle school went through WJC program, and results have shown positive effect. As a result, the violence at school decreased, the tone of the school transformed to helpful. The feedback from the students was forward-looking, they not only saw a positive way to resolve problems, but also learn more valuable skills like active listening, changing perspective and understanding each other better. The mediation sessions not only help individuals to hash out issues, but they provide beneficial leadership skills for the future. Based on the author’s

Besides Satir’s stance of not remaining neutral during the therapeutic process she asserted that the counselor must take on many different roles such as a facilitator, a role model, a mediator, and a teacher and educator (Rasheed, Rasheed, & Marley, 2011). Additionally, the counselor must also strive to be the best that he or she can be as they are the most important tool found in the therapist’s toolbox and not how many interventions or techniques that are known. Counseling is about connecting with fellow human beings on a deeper level than most clients are accustomed to. Satir knew this which is why “she believed that the therapist him- or herself is the therapist’s main intervention tool” (Rasheed, Rasheed, & Marley, 2011, p.

Therapy is often said to be just as much of an art as it is a science. Namely because there is so much that goes into it. To create a successful therapeutic relationship, there are some key elements that need to be a part of the formula. Each therapist may end up having a different recipe, but it is important that a therapist knows what ingredients he or she may need and what they can add for it to be successful. Throughout this paper, this writer will discuss characteristics she hopes to embody as a therapist, as well as the values and skills she wishes to bring with her into a therapeutic relationship.

I believe that being a great mediator is the key to much success when working with people. There will always be disagreement and misunderstandings but the important part is how do you work through those and still have productivity. Bums define a mediator as “a person who serves as an intermediary to reconcile differences, particularly in political and military conflicts.” (pg. 538) The article talks about how some of the best leaders are those who can take conflict and transform

In this week’s readings I noticed a mention about the notion of women as “natural” peacemakers, which I took an interest in. In a previous class, we talked about masculinities and how gender specific characteristics can affect the peacebuilding process in different ways. In the journal, Women and the Art of Peacemaking, I read that there were Israeli-Palestinian workshops held that focused on changes in the political activity between men and women. I found it interesting because it mentioned how the genders approached problem solving in different ways and were often based off a “social psychological understanding of the dynamics of international conflict.” This meant that individuals are able to see the potential for change but it is often

Traditional approaches to mediation assume that a conflict’s parties and a mediator share one compelling reason for initiating mediation: a desire to reduce,abate,or resolve a conflict.To this end,both sides may invest personnel,time,and resources in the mediation.This shared humanititarian interest maybe the only genuine reason in a few instances of mediation,but normally even this interest intertwines with other, less altruistic,

The awareness of these major differences in perception is very beneficial. This leaves both parties suddenly aware of what led to the dispute at hand. A careful consideration of the different positions, important issues, and alternate perceptions can give everyone an understanding of how difficult it is for a judge and/or jury to come to a fair conclusion. Who is right? Who is telling the truth? Who can prove their claims with proof?

As the mediator I am a thirty four year old female and mother of five. I was raised around many cultures growing up with a similar cultural background of the female disputant. This conflict can be particularly complex for myself as mediator because of the potential bias that can occur with cultural differences. Even though I share similarities with the mother as mediator I must bring a non-bias perception to the resolution process and try to view the conflict from both parties’ sides with a resolution that satisfies both parties and the child. “Parties who perceived mediator bias in favor of the other party were much less accepting of the mediator’s actions.”(Poitras, 2009) The parties must have trust in the mediator if the dispute resolution

 "Effective conflict resolution requires dealing constructively with disagreements rather than pushing them under the rug, letting them break into open warfare, or attempting to eliminate them completely.  Successful resolution of a conflict may include the following: accurate diagnosis of the nature and source of the conflict, a clear understanding of how each party is contributing to the conflict, skills and processes for defining alternatives, constructively negotiating outcomes, and creatively developing win-win resolutions" (Hagberg Consulting Group, 1).