Can anyone helping with a conflict really be neutral? Probably not. We all bring our own history and views into the room, and pretending otherwise does not make them disappear. This piece looks at what to aim for instead: staying fully present to everyone, holding our opinions lightly, and caring deeply without needing to control how things turn out. Not neutrality, it turns out, but something more honest and more within reach.
Why "You're Being Defensive" Backfires
How to Stop Getting Accused of Being Defensive
What Your Phone Does to a Conversation
Research suggests that even an unused phone can subtly reduce feelings of closeness and connection. This article explores how the objects around us shape the architecture of conversation, why shared attention matters, and how small design choices can support deeper listening, empathy, and understanding.
Is Avoiding Eye Contact Always a Trauma Response?
Not necessarily. While trauma can influence how we experience being seen, most gaze aversion has far more ordinary explanations. People look away to think, to listen, to show respect, or simply because direct eye contact competes with concentration. Drawing on the work of Stephen Porges, Allan Schore, Ruth Lanius, and Laurence Heller, this article explores the relationship between gaze, safety, and the nervous system, while challenging the common assumption that looking away always signals emotional wounding.
Storied Feelings: When a Feeling Carries a Story
Marshall Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication, and the Power of Empathy
Who was Marshall Rosenberg, and why does his work continue to influence conversations about empathy, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution? Explore the foundations of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and discover how understanding feelings and needs can transform the way we relate to ourselves and others.
AI Empathy in Mediation; When Algorithms Show Compassion
Beyond the Horn: What Road Rage Reveals About the Terrain of the Body
Empathy and the Art of Tracking: Following the Trail of Another’s Experience
The Challenge of Power, Corruption, and Compassion: A Path to Ethical Action
How do we hold powerful people and institutions accountable without losing our own humanity in the process? This article explores the relationship between power, corruption, compassion, and discernment, offering a path toward ethical action that resists harm without resorting to hatred or dehumanization.
Harnessing Conflict for Positive Change
Elon Musk’s “Suicidal Empathy”: A Flawed Critique or a Necessary Warning?
Is empathy a strength or a weakness? Examining Elon Musk's controversial claim that empathy is "suicidal," this article explores the difference between emotional, cognitive, and compassionate empathy, and argues that the real challenge is not empathy itself, but learning to apply it with wisdom and discernment.
Navigating the Ocean of Emotions: Understanding Alexithymia and Emotional Literacy
When Empathy is Rejected: Staying Open Without Losing Yourself
The Strength of Compassionate Boundaries
Empathy Circles: A Path to Understanding in Times of Political Division
On Compassion
Triggers
Harnessing Emotional Energy to Transform Conflict In Mediation
Conflict is fueled by emotion, yet emotions are often treated as obstacles to resolution rather than sources of insight. Discover how skilled mediators can work with emotional energy, uncover underlying needs, and transform conflict into an opportunity for understanding, healing, and lasting agreement.