Incredible diversity is one of the greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses of magickal communities. Our myriad strong opinions inevitably leads to conflict. Emily offers free or low cost mediation and conflict resolution services to the Pagan and Magickal communities. Emily has extensive professional training in mediation and alternative dispute resolution from Seattle University School of Law and the Snohomish County Dispute Resolution Center.
Mediation
Mediation is a process in which a neutral facilitator helps conflicting parties reach a mutually satisfying resolution to a conflict. In practice this means coming together in a safe space for respectful discussion and a genuine desire to move forward. The role of the mediator is to aid communication, assure that everyone is heard fairly, and to empower participants to craft their own resolution. A mediator does not arbitrate, judge, or in any way tell the parties what to do. The ultimate goal of any mediation is to help the parties move forward from the conflict in a healthy way.
Professional mediation can be expensive; Emily offers 3 hour sessions to groups in the Pagan and Magickal communities without a fee. This is for non-binding mediation – meaning that no legal document is created to enforce any agreements reached. Fees for additional sessions can be negotiated. Emily does ask for her costs to attend the mediation to be covered (e.g. parking fees, gas if she drives over an hour, etc.).
Conflict Resolution Workshops
Emily is happy to present workshops on conflict resolution to your group in person or via video conference, such as Skype or Zoom, at no charge. These workshops are best run at 1 – 1.5 hours, but can be modified to be shorter or longer.
She currently offers the following:
- Conflict Resolution for Magickal Communities – The basics of successfully mediating conflict in magickal communities; appropriate for anyone who wants to have more productive conversations with others.
- Conflict Resolution for Group Leaders – Strategies for approaching conflict with confidence in an empowering, positive, and effective way.
- Effective Communication – Ways to better understand our own thoughts, how to articulate them to others, and how our words can be interpreted by others.
- Don’t Feed the Trolls: Dealing with Conflict Online – Effective online communication strategies to fend off email or forum conflicts, and how best to deal with uncomfortable exchanges.
Custom workshops as well as workshop series are available by request.
My short YouTube series on the basics of conflict resolution:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU-UA5agkTE&list=PLNRyejWHP2MCUK8aXcIK3PNuMlRGXvn3F