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It is the year 2022 and the ways in which we communicate are evolving at a rapid pace. Once upon a time there was the fax machine…wait, we still have one of those bleeping and blooping in the corner of our office. And then there was the telephone…oh, there’s clearly a landline ringing next to the fax machine over there. And…email? Yep, that too – our digital inboxes have been open since 2001.

You can contact us in any and all of these ways, but an important question remains: how can those of us at Mediation Services keep in touch with you? The writings on this blog and via our newsletter are our ongoing attempt to answer this, because we are evolving too.

Relationships are better when the communications flow in both directions, and this is no exception.

Since our establishment in 1979, we have expanded our goals to meet the shifting needs of our community. Our focus remains on facilitating a safe space for bridging gaps across opposing views, however no longer are we doing so exclusively in-person. In addition, we are proud to now offer the tools we’ve developed over the years as online courses for you to engage with at your own pace.

So what exactly are our training goals these days? They’re loose yet ambitious, and we are proud to see people achieving them every day. We aim to help others:

• Resolve conflicts
• Manage anger
• Build a respectful workplace
• Deal with difficult relationships

These skills have always been important within our homes, workplaces, and communities, but they have become even more vital as we all navigate the heightened challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic together.

In case you haven’t explored them yet, we highly recommend you check out our popular Covid Conversations and Introduction to Conflict Resolution online courses.

Here at Mediation Services, we can’t talk about us without including you. Every day, our path intersects with yours; we meet, discuss where we’re at and potential routes forward, and then carefully choose the next steps onwards.

Beyond each session our individual lives separate and go on. Monday’s first light brings us into another week and we rise with the sun to face the day, ready to do our best.

Amidst the busyness of life in a modern world, it is important to remember the simple communication and listening skills that help us manage stress, prevent conflict, and create respect. There is always another challenge on the horizon and, in the depths of difficulty, it is important to reach for the tools and support near us. In this spirit, we write here. In this spirit, we slide into your inbox. And in this spirit, we keep our fax machine and phones plugged in – so that we can be here when you need us however you may choose to reach out.

We have relationship goals. Over the last few months our newsletter subscriber list has grown significantly, a very real reflection on the number of people we’ve connected with. A lot of new faces have found us through our new online courses – our recent expansion in digital accessibility that has allowed us to meet so many more of you. Trust is built slowly over time, and we are grateful for everyone who has given us a chance to earn theirs over the years.

With this in mind, we write our newsletter and blog as an additional resource for our community. Discover conflict resolution tips and tricks to pepper into daily life, be the first to receive invitations to be a part of the emerging resources we’re developing, and get a behind-the-scenes spotlight on the question of why we are passionate about the work we do.

Anyone with a seed of curiosity – whether you’ve attended a workshop or are just peeking in from afar – can read these completely free offerings and be both informed and bolstered. Our hope is that they offer value and that, when you need it, you remember that you have us as a communication resource to tap into.

So if you are already a subscriber: thanks for sticking around and keep an eye on your inbox for more good things to come! And if you’re new around here, we invite you to consider exploring mediation in your life alongside us.

Subscribe to the newsletter here
Follow along on the blog here

Mediation Services’ goal is to be at the forefront of the restorative justice and conflict resolution movement. As always, you can get in contact with us at any of the numbers / addresses listed at the bottom of this page. We continue to show up each and every day, ready to serve you.