by Jane Beddall on May 31, 2009
Sometimes people wonder just when they should consider elder mediation. The time is right whenever the parties (and, where it applies, their advisors, including attorneys) feel the time is right. Mediation can be helpful when the family is faced with making plans for the future well-being of an aging loved one. Communication or caregiving plans may be difficult to create. Even talking about creating a plan can cause conflict. At other times, a sudden crisis may demand an immediate, difficult decision and a dispute must be resolved. Caregiving needs may change overnight or an end-of-life situation may arise when no guidance has been given by the person near death.
In either case, mediation can be beneficial whenever it is apparent family conflict is in danger of harming the family.
by Jane Beddall on May 31, 2009
Sometimes people wonder just when they should consider business mediation. The time is right whenever the parties (and, where it applies, their advisors, including attorneys) feel the time is right. Mediation can assist business owners, include families, address difficult issues related to succession planning, business structure, or business operations.
After a dispute has arisen, mediation can be helpful long before a lawsuit is filed, even long before a lawsuit seems like a plausible approach to conflict resolution. On the other hand, parties may battle in court for years and then decide, for whatever reasons are right for them, that it is time for mediation. Or they can mediate early in the process on one or more points and then later on others. This kind of flexibility is one of the benefits of mediation.
by Jane Beddall on May 31, 2009
Sometimes people wonder just when they should consider estate mediation. The time is right whenever the parties (and, where it applies, their advisors, including attorneys) feel the time is right. Mediation can be helpful in the estate planning process, when difficult issues can be better addressed with the help of a neutral third party. Addressing these issues at the estate planning stage, though challenging, can prevent possible damage to a family when the issues are left until the estate settlement stage.
Issues can arise in estate settlement as soon a death occurs, when emotions are especially raw. Or they can simmer, and then erupt, as family members learn about the impact of the settlement of an estate.
In either case, mediation can be beneficial whenever it is apparent family conflict is in danger of harming the family.
by Jane Beddall on May 23, 2009
Last week, Community Mediation, Inc. held its 8th Annual Father Nash Award program, this time honoring New Haven’s Community Leadership Program. Although Community Mediation, Inc. is best known for its work in conflict resolution, the nature of the award and remarks at the award breakfast focused much more on conflict prevention.
By creating opportunities for conversation around common interests and concerns, Community Mediation, through the Dialogue Project and other intiatives, helps people in the New Haven community in two ways. First, relationships can be formed outside of a crisis, when emotions are less frayed. Then, in a time of crisis, those who are in conflict may have an easier time having a productive conversation. Second, by exploring some difficult issues before they reach the boiling point, some useful exchance of ideas can occur before the heat of the moment endangers rational communication.
A conflict prevented is even better than a conflict resolved.