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Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution by Michael D. Lang

Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution by Michael D. Lang

  BOOK REVIEW BY NANCY RADFORD

Four years ago, I saw a YouTube video of Michael Lang talking about reflective practice. At the Association of Norther Mediators, we wanted to set up a reflective practice group and really didn’t know where to start. So I contacted Michael to ask if he would present a session about Reflective Practice to our ANM Online CPD series. You can sign up to our mailing list here.

Michael gave us a brilliant presentation and introduced us to Ava Abramowitz. After the session, I asked, “how do we set up a reflective practice group that is helpful and lasts?” Michael and Ava responded that if I found 8-10 mediators who were willing to commit to a regular group for a year, they would commit to facilitating it for a year…and are still helping us build our skills and develop several of us to be RP group facilitators. Michael and Ava delivered a wonderful summer school experience which spawned more reflective practice groups.

As part of the learning process, as well as attending two courses at the Reflective Practice Institute International, I bought the first edition of his book Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution which was so helpful. My copy of the first edition is well thumbed and marked up with post-its.

So what’s new in the latest edition?

Michael’s wonderful and enlightening prose from the first version is enhanced and added to, there is more detail on the practicalities of running groups, guest essays from Ava Abramowitz, Susanne Terry, Jodie Grant and Tzofnat Peleg-Baker, Ph.D. and the voices of group participants.

Reflective Practice can mean a variety of things. One participant describes the difference between a previous experience of “reflection” with the Reflective Debrief model described in Michael’s book.

Previously when I was struggling with a puzzling or challenging mediation, I would discuss with colleagues who would commiserate, offer their experiences or advice. It was like being in the dark, with the comments feeling like I was being pushed or pulled in a specific direction. In the RP group, the questions are like lights showing me what I hadn’t seen or noticed before, and allowing me to decide where I want to go and what I want to do. We have grown in our trust over the period and developed our non-judgemental questioning skills.

If you haven’t read it, it is essential reading – and an interesting one too. It wasn’t really work to read it but a pleasure. If you have read it, it is well worth buying the second version. Reading the book and then investing time in reflective practice is the best way to enhance your mediation skills.

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