Those trained in presentation skills have been told time and time again that people pick up more communication cues from our body language than our verbal communication. At www.typesofcommunication.org they explain that verbal communication has four purposes. Four Purposes Of Communication There are four basic purposes for communication. Almost all of these purposes are better served [...]
The Step Family Dialogues From Struggles to Strategies: Chapter 1
April 27, 2012 By
Step/Blended Family Mediation incorporates a system I developed over the past few years in which I combine Step Family Coaching with Family Mediation Techniques and assist the Couple first to get on the “same page” and then they can bring the other family members into mediation. I have had the privilege of working with a variety of step families [...]
Communication Techniques when you come across a “Yeller” or “Screamer”
April 23, 2012 By
How many times have you come across a person or situation that has gotten you so mad that you lose all control and start yelling and screaming? Did the yelling and screaming make you feel better? The fact of the matter is the answer would be “yes” – yelling and screaming is an emotional outlet [...]
A heart felt story of Financial Independence
April 17, 2012 By
Instead of getting into all the legal “mumble jumble” of Representation Agreements, I want to share this video of one man’s journey to seek financial independence. The Nidus Registry in British Columbia is currently the only community-based resource in Canada devoted to personal planning. Its existence sets British Columbia apart as a leader in addressing the [...]
Step Families are NOT Blended Families
March 2, 2012 By
I was presenting a workshop on the Conflict and Confusion of Newly Formed Stepfamilies to a group of Mediators. As I was making reference to “Stepfamilies” during the presentation, one women in particular appeared uncomfortable every time I mentioned the word “Stepfamily”. Finally she spoke up and asked “Why are you referring to these families as [...]
10 Ways to deal with Negative or Difficult People
February 24, 2012 By
Believe me when I say that in my line of work there can be a lot of negativity and difficult people. After all, when couples decide to divorce they are not having warm and fuzzy conversations! However, besides the stressful situations that can drag us down or bum us out, there are just some people [...]
Stepfamily vs Nuclear Family – Subtle Differences = Huge Impact
February 21, 2012 By
When stepfamilies come for mediation sessions, one of the exercises I do is have them evaluate how they are different to Nuclear families. Why is this important? It is human nature to take things for granted - not because we don’t appreciate but because it is our “Norm”. Just think for a moment of growing up in your family [...]
Take the Family Stress Test
January 16, 2012 By
Stress is a natural and normal “by-product” of every family’s life. In fact, family stress can bring out the best of us; as we stretch to meet the challenges we face, we become better parents, our children blossom and our families grow. But too much stress can spiral our families in the other direction. This [...]
How Do You Cope With Family Stress?
January 16, 2012 By
I not only witnessed – I experienced my parent’s coping mechanisms as they headed to the Divorce Court. My father coped with his stress by being combative and confrontational while my mother coped with her stress by withdrawing. As a product of my upbringing, I only knew of two methods to cope with stress…. be [...]
