Jump to topic:
The Art Of Effective Listening For Mediators 5/29/08

Thinking Well About Learning Disabilities In The Context Of Mediation 5/30/08

The Art Of Effective Listening 6/18/08

Mediation For Divorcing Parents: Creating A Parenting Plan And Making It Work 7/15/08

Mediation Seminar: Divorce With Dignity 9/16/08

Communication Through Separation 10/22/08

Using Conflict Resolution Techniques To Have The Best Family Holiday Ever 11/12/08

Mediation Seminar: Divorce With Dignity 12/10/08

Conflict Resolution StrAtegies For Therapists 13/13/09

 
2008 - 2009 Workshops / Talks / Seminars

THE ART OF EFFECTIVE LISTENING FOR MEDIATORS
A MARYLAND COUNCIL FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION MASTER CLASS

Although it’s not always obvious from reading the morning newspaper, we human beings are inherently brilliant and cooperative creatures!  The challenge of mediation is to find ways to unleash this great human intelligence and compassion so that disputants can find their own solutions.  Effective listening is a key part of the “magic” of every successful mediation.  This practitioners-level workshop teaches the theory and practice--the art--of effective listening in order to promote real understanding.  Good listening skills enhance our personal relationships, productivity at work and our ability to make informed choices. This workshop will provide important listening know-how and the basic skills for becoming a better listener.
Presenter: John Spiegel and Donna Duquette

Date: Monday, May 19, 2008  4:00 – 8:00 p.m.


Location:Washington Ethical Society
7750 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20012


Contact:
MCDR
8288 Telegraph Road, Suite A
Odenton, MD   21113
www.mcdr.org


THINKING WELL ABOUT LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDIATION
In many divorce mediations, the parents are struggling to create a parenting plan for children with learning disabilities.  In some mediations the mediator struggles to adapt the mediation process to serve clients with learning disabilities.  A clinical psychologist specializing in learning disabilities and a divorce mediator will provide a range of useful information for mediators about learning disabilities.  In particular, this workshop will begin with an overview of different types of learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.  The workshop will then give practical recommendations for how a mediator can respond to the special needs of mediation clients with learning disabilities.  Finally, the workshop will provide information about the issues that parents face in dealing with children with learning disabilities, so that mediators will better understand the real-life family contexts within which these mediations take place.
Presenters: John Spiegel and Judi Glasser

Date: Friday, May 30, 2008  1:45 – 3:15 p.m.


Location: Association of Family and Conciliation Courts 45th Annual Conference
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Contact: AFCC
6525 Grand Teton Plaza, Madison, WI 53719
Phone 608.664.3750  Fax 608.664.3751  afcc@afccnet.org


www.afccnet.org


THE ART OF EFFECTIVE LISTENING
Good listening skills enhance our personal relationships, productivity at work and our ability to make informed choices. This workshop will provide important listening know-how and the basic skills for becoming a better listener.
Presenter: John Spiegel

Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


MEDIATION FOR DIVORCING PARENTS: CREATING A PARENTING PLAN AND MAKING IT WORK
Research findings have clearly documented that exposure to parental conflict is harmful to the emotional development of children.  When separating and divorcing parents mediate, rather than litigate, their parenting plan (custody arrangements), they can reduce the level of conflict between them, to their children’s benefit.  In this workshop, an experienced divorce mediator will explain how to negotiate the terms of your parenting plan through mediation and how to successfully implement your parenting plan, so as to avoid further parental conflicts.
Presenter: John Spiegel

Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.

Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


MEDIATION SEMINAR: DIVORCE WITH DIGNITY
A marital break-up can be one of life's most difficult experiences. Mediation offers an effective and humane way to negotiate the difficulties of separation and divorce with a minimum of tension, conflict, and damage to a family’s emotions and finances. This workshop explains how mediation works, what topics are covered, how to choose a mediator, and what to expect in terms of cost and time. Couples are encouraged to attend together.
Presenters: Donna Duquette

Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP FOR SEPARATING COUPLES
The months before and after a marital separation tend to be a time of profound upheaval. Yet in the midst of this upheaval, when communication is often strained, couples have to make critical decisions involving their children and their finances. This workshop will offer practical guidance on how to keep the channels of communication open as your marriage is ending. Topics will include neutral language, “I-messages,” boundary setting, and co-parenting communications.
Presenter: Donna Duquette

Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


USING CONFLICT RESOLUTION TECHNIQUES TO HAVE THE BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY EVER
What’s the magic ingredient for a wonderful family holiday celebration?  Just the right turkey stuffing?  A special chocolate dessert?  Creative decorations?  No, it’s good communication among relatives that makes a family gathering the heart-warming event that all of us yearn for.  This workshop, led by two experienced family mediators, teaches participants a range of useful conflict resolution techniques and communications skills.  Use these skills for your holidays (and afterwards too!).
Presenter: John Spiegel

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact:
Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


MEDIATION SEMINAR: DIVORCE WITH DIGNITY
A marital break-up can be one of life's most difficult experiences. Mediation offers an effective and humane way to negotiate the difficulties of separation and divorce with a minimum of tension, conflict, and damage to a family’s emotions and finances. This workshop explains how mediation works, what topics are covered, how to choose a mediator, and what to expect in terms of cost and time. Couples are encouraged to attend together.
Presenter: John Spiegel

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2008  7:00 – 8:45 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw


CONFLICT RESOLUTION STRATEGIES FOR THERAPISTS
Participants will learn 1) a positive conceptual framework for thinking about disputes; 2) three powerful conflict resolutions techniques: focusing on the problem, not the people; working at the (deeper) level of underlying interests, not bargaining positions; and generating options which are mutually beneficial; 3) useful communications skills for listening in a way that hears more of what is being said and for talking in a way that enables others to really understand; and 4) an introduction to “Strategic Listening,” a conflict resolution process developed by the Maryland Association of Community Mediation Centers.
Presenter: Donna Duquette and John Spiegel

Date: Friday, March 13, 2009  9:00 a.m.– 12:00 p.m.


Location: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
401 N. Washington Street, Suite 100
Rockville MD 20850


Contact: Montgomery County Commission for Women
Counseling and Career Center
240-777-8300
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw