How Stress Hijacks Mediation—and What You Can Do About It with Ben Stich

Republished with permission by: Will Work For Food

Mediation often asks people to engage in their most thoughtful, collaborative selves, right when they’re under the most pressure. Stress can quietly erode the very abilities that mediation depends on, like perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and emotional regulation.

This session draws from neuroscience and the evidence-based Collaborative Problem Solving® model to offer insights and practical strategies for supporting clients through the emotional intensity of conflict. You’ll leave with concrete tools to help clients stay engaged, grounded, and open to progress—even in the heat of mediation.

When you’re thinking about where to donate, please consider supporting S.K.I.P. (Soup Kitchen in Provincetown) https://www.skipfood.org/

Our Presenter:

Ben Stich is a divorce, co-parenting, and family mediator based in Massachusetts. Before becoming a mediator, Ben spent over a decade as a social worker, helping teens and families navigate tough moments in schools and residential programs—an experience that deeply shaped his approach to conflict resolution.

After discovering mediation in 2009, Ben quickly realized it was his calling. He founded Mediation and Family Services in 2014 and has since helped hundreds of families navigate conflict with compassion and clarity, while staying in control of their own decisions.

Ben also works as a Divorce Coach in the Collaborative Law process and serves as an instructor for the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council. He trains professionals in Collaborative Problem Solving through MGH’s Think: Kids program and serves on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation. You can find his blog and more about his work at www.benstich.com.

These programs are free. We don’t ask you to pay for these invaluable webinars, instead, we hope that you’ll make a donation of any size to your local food bank!Thank you in advance for your generosity.

The Will Work For Food Programs are educational webinars that are presented primarily by and for attorneys, mediators and arbitrators. Each Thursday, at 8am Pacific, an amazing colleague joins us to give a webinar presentation about a timely topic. Please join us!

Will Work For Food was created by Natalie Armstrong-Motin (www.HowToMarketMyMediationPractice.com ) and is moderated by Jeff Kichaven (www.JeffKichaven.com), Jean Lawler (www.LawlerADR.com), and David Shraga ([email protected])

                       

Jean Lawler

I help Attorneys and Parties simplify and resolve Complex Insurance, Civil & Commercial Litigation, Professional Liability, ADA and Cyber/Privacy Litigation by finding SOLUTIONS that bring RESOLUTION and CLOSURE so that the Parties can get on with their businesses and lives unencumbered by the uncertainties, risks and expense of litigation. I… MORE >

                       

Natalie J. Armstrong-Motin

Natalie J. Armstrong Motin is a Mediation Business Strategist | ADR Practice Development Consultant | Social Media Marketing Management for mediators and arbitrators around the world. She is the founder of Will Work For Food, host of the Idle Chat video series for the ABA's Section for Dispute Resolution, and… MORE >

                       

Jeff Kichaven

Jeff Kichaven is one of America’s leading mediators. He’s “Ranked in Chambers – Band 1” on the USA – Nationwide list, and Lexology (f/k/a Who’s Who Legal) has honored him as a Global Elite Thought Leader in mediation. Jeff is an Honors Graduate of Harvard Law School and a Phi… MORE >

                       

David Shraga

Negotiator, Litigator and Mediator Specializing in Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Media Matters David Shraga brings legal sophistication, sound business judgment, and executive experience to every dispute he handles.= He’s led legal and business affairs at premiere global studios, overseen countless negotiations and productions, and advised some of the world’s most… MORE >