Co-creating Peace

Welcome to “Lessons on the Road to Peace”, Episode #134 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation, where we bring you insights and wisdoms from experts in mindfulness and peacemaking from around the world. 

As the world wrestles with chasms of division, John Noltner and his wife Karen, set out to traverse the American heartlands, a journey that would span 93,000 miles and countless narratives. Their quest, part of his project "A Peace of my Mind", and captured in John's book "Lessons on the Road to Peace," is an exploration of the threads that bind us in our shared humanity. In our conversation, John unveils the mosaic of America's story, emphasizing the power of empathy and understanding in transcending differences.

John also discusses the importance of deep listening, challenging our own expectations, and staying engaged in difficult conversations. He shares insights on building trust, finding common ground, and the power of modeling empathy and respect. He talks about his experiences traveling across the country, meeting people from different backgrounds, and seeking out stories that challenge divisive narratives, with the goal of helping us all to rediscover what connects us as human beings, and promoting understanding and empathy. 

Key takeaways you won’t want to miss include:

• everything is more complicated than it appears in a headline;
• exploring shared humanity can help to bridge divides;
•  if you sit down and you talk to somebody, hear their stories, and understand some of their experiences, it becomes infinitely more difficult to vilify or demonize or hate that person
• listen deeply, challenge your own expectations, and keep showing up.
• “When we are engaged in conversation, when we are staying connected, when we're staying involved and in relationship, there's some hope that we can move through whatever tension and conflict and difficulty we encounter. But when we walk away from the table, that hope walks away with us.”

A gifted storyteller, John Noltner has worked on four continents, gathering stories of human courage, grace, and resilience. He has produced projects for national magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profit organizations. A Peace of My Mind reflects his belief that art and storytelling can help individuals, organizations and communities articulate their deepest values and encourage action toward building social capital and community connections.

John hopes that “Lessons on the Road to Peace” can serve as a model for how to encounter differences, how to challenge our expectations and how to see the common humanity that is all around us. This book is intended to encourage and inspire the peacemakers of the world

To learn more about John’s project “A Peace of My Mind”, and to get his book, “Lessons on the Road to Peace”, visit:  apeaceofmymind.net or apomm.net

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Welcome to "Unlocking Harmony, Compassion, Balance, and Growth in a Divided World", Episode #133 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation, where we bring you insights and wisdoms from experts in mindfulness and peacemaking from around the world. 

In this episode, my guest, Constantin Morun and I discuss how to transform your internal monologue into a powerful tool for positive change. We delve into the art of self-forgiveness and understanding, showcasing that the path to bridging societal divides lies within our own hearts. Our conversation sheds light on the significant impact of nurturing self-compassion, as it not only aids in achieving personal peace, but also equips us with the empathy needed to foster harmony in our interactions with others.

Constantin Morun is a passionate advocate of personal growth, self-discovery, and professional development with over 15 years of experience. Through his journey from a fear-ridden man hiding his authentic self to embracing vulnerability and authenticity, Constantin demonstrates that self-discovery can unlock the keys to personal and professional success. As a Holistic Life Empowerment Mentor & Coach, he inspires and empowers individuals on their unique journeys towards growth and self-discovery through both his professional and personal life, as well as his podcast, Unleash Thyself. Integrating his passion for technology, spirituality, and mentorship, Constantin helps individuals unlock their full potential, fostering a positive impact on the world around them. His mission centers on personal growth, spirituality, and self-discovery, dedicated to uplifting and empowering every member of the audience with his humble and sincere insights.

Highlights you won't want to miss:

• A holistic approach to self-awareness, which can lead to more conscious and effective communication 
• A myriad of opportunities can come from developing a growth mindset
• The four facets of a fixed mindset and how to overcome them
• Tools for facing and embracing challenges

Learn more about Constantin Morun and the fine work that he is doing by going to:  https://linktr.ee/unleashthyself 

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Welcome to “The Graceful Confrontation Guide to Empowered Communication”, Episode #132 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation, where we bring you insights and wisdom from experts in mindfulness and peacemaking from around the world. 

Today, Rebecca Whitman, bestselling author of 3 books on business mindset, an award-winning coach, and the host of the Balanced, Beautiful & Abundant podcast, joins me to talk about the importance of effective communication in relationships and in personal growth. We’ll explore the challenges of non-responsive communication and the fear of confrontation that often leads to ghosting. One of the things that Rebecca emphasizes is the need for positive confrontation, direct communication, and setting boundaries, which can actually prevent conflicts. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Non-responsive communication often stems from a fear of confrontation and a lack of direct communication skills.
2. Positive confrontation involves direct communication that is loving, respectful, and focused on resolution.
3. Setting boundaries and expressing them clearly can prevent conflicts and misunderstandings.
4. Conflict resolution skills are essential for maintaining healthy relationships and preventing unnecessary conflicts.
5. The JADE acronym (justify, argue, defend, explain) reminds us to avoid behaviors such as these, which compromise our personal power and integrity in communication.
6. Feedback is a gift that can help us grow and improve, and it is important to differentiate between feedback and judgment.

To easily connect with Rebecca, learn about her upcoming events and other resources she has to offer, use click here: https://linktr.ee/rebeccaewhitman. Additional resources and information can be found on her website: rebeccaelizabethwhitman.com

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Welcome to “Empathy is Needed When Things Get Heated”, Episode #131 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast series about conscious communication and conflict transformation.  

I have a great story to share with you, told by the three men who lived it, about how an unattended fire that could have been a catastrophe at multiple levels, instead became a powerful wisdom opportunity and a relationship-strengthening experience. 

Highlights you won’t want to miss:

• how – with the right perspective and approach – a stronger, deeper relationship can literally emerge from a fire like a phoenix reborn;
• a powerful way to rebuild trust;
• the ways in which a relationship can be strengthened when we go through a difficult experience together;
• how empathy and acknowledgement can heal the one who gives them as well as the one who receives them.

Joining me to tell you this story are the 3 men who were involved in the incident, Edwin Rutsch, Zak Wear, and Daniel Hirtz.

Zak Wear and Daniel Hirtz are active members of the Empathy Movement who were at the Empathy Center for the Empathy Facilitator training.

You may remember Edwin Rutsch from Episode #103, when he shared some truly inspiring information about the Empathy Movement with us. Edwin's the founding director of the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy. The center’s website, cultureofempathy.com, is a comprehensive portal for empathy-related material.

There’s an in-person Empathy Circle Facilitator Training happening at the Empathy Center in Santa Barbara CA Jan. 27-28, 2024, and online trainings every couple of months. To learn more about the Empathy Circle Facilitator Training and to register go to: www.bestempathytraining.com

See the Empathy Summits schedule and register at: www.empathysummit.com. The next one is a multi-Saturday one beginning January 6th.

Learn about the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy at cultureofempathy.com. Online empathy circles happen every week. Visit www.empathycircle.com/schedule to find the best one for you.

The next episode of Co-creating Peace airs the weekend of January 13, 2024.

Tuesday, Jan. 16th, my flagship 34-hour professional development course “Facilitating with Finesse in Today’s World”  begins, hosted live online by University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management.

Are you looking for new skills to support your success as a leader and increase your potential to reach new heights in your career? Do you wish the meetings you lead or participate in could be more focused, efficient, collaborative, and productive? Are you eager to start the new year with new tools to help you manage group processes? Then this is the opportunity for you!

Learn more about the “Facilitating with Finesse in Today’s World”,  live online program by visiting my website Bridgesofpeace.com. 

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

With the holidays coming up, we often have high emotion, covering a wide range from love and joy, to anger & frustration, celebration of blessings and grieving for lost ones, old family wounds & grudges, and political tensions – you name it! I want to provide you with as many tools and understandings as possible to bring peace and harmony to your holidays... and to your life.

Welcome to Part 2 of “Holding the Calm”, Episode #130 of Co-creating Peace, a series about conscious communication and conflict transformation.

In the last episode of this podcast – Episode #129, “Holding the Calm”, Part 1 – you heard the first half of a very interesting conversation I had with mediator and author of “Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension”, Hesha Abrams, who shared with us several practical and effective tools to diffuse tension and resolve conflicts in a wide variety of contexts. 

Among the many wonderful things Hesha shared with us in Part 1 are:

• Conflict is like spaghetti sauce.
• Self-interest, including political self-interest, often interferes with conflict resolution.
• Validation is the WD-40 of the universe, but what if you don’t have any to give? 
• People can be like crabs in buckets. 

Today, Hesha shares some great information about how tackling smaller issues can evolve into solving bigger problems. Highlights include:

• the vital importance of teaching children conscious communication and conflict transformation skills beginning in early childhood, and mindfully modelling those behaviors for them in every moment,
• the subtle power dynamics often at play in negotiations, 
• the game-changing impact of unexpected moves in any conversation
• mediators are like midwives helping to birth the resolution to the conflict.

Hesha Abrams is the founder of Hesha Abrams Mediation and is an internationally renowned mediator who has successfully resolved thousands of cases over the past thirty years, from simple car accidents to multibillion-dollar disputes involving titans of industry. Hesha Abrams is a master at turning high conflict into amicable resolutions and resolving delicate matters with diplomacy and skill. She is renowned for her success in resolving complicated and high-stakes disputes from corporate disagreements to political conflicts. Her strategic ability to remain cool-headed and balanced in complex situations leads to successful outcomes making her a leading name in her field, and an invaluable resource in any dispute resolution process.

You can find “Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension”, and learn more about Hesha and her work by visiting: www.holdingthecalm.com 

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Ever find yourself feeling stuck in an increasingly tense situation, perhaps with someone you find difficult to deal with, unable to find a resolution, and unsure of how to diffuse the growing tension?

Welcome to Part 1 of “Holding the Calm”, Episode #129 of Co-creating Peace, a series about conscious communication and conflict transformation.  

As a follow-on to the last episode of this podcast – Episode #128, “Navigating Family Tensions”, I want to continue the theme of how to navigate tensions, regardless of who it is with, and what better time to do it than now, as we enter the holiday season, which brings with it the wide variety of emotional dynamics that seem inevitable at this time of year.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear the first of a 2-part dynamic and enlightening conversation I had with mediator and author, Hesha Abrams, who gives us several practical and effective tools to diffuse tension and resolve conflicts in a wide variety of contexts. She shares the intriguing concept of motivational rationalization; how humans perceive and process information, how scarcity mentality can affect our decision-making, and how we can use all this information to have more peaceful, productive interactions with others.

Don’t miss these highlights:

• Conflict is like spaghetti sauce.
• Self-interest, including political self-interest, often interferes with conflict resolution.
• Validation is the WD-40 of the universe, but what if you don’t have any to give? 
• People can be like crabs in buckets. 

Hesha Abrams is the founder of Hesha Abrams Mediation and is an internationally renowned mediator who has successfully resolved thousands of cases over the past thirty years, from simple car accidents to multibillion-dollar disputes involving titans of industry. Hesha Abrams is a master at turning high conflict into amicable resolutions and resolving delicate matters with diplomacy and skill. She is renowned for her success in resolving complicated and high-stakes disputes from corporate disagreements to political conflicts. Her strategic ability to remain cool-headed and balanced in complex situations leads to successful outcomes making her a leading name in her field, and an invaluable resource in any dispute resolution process.

Join us for part 2 of my conversation with Hesha, airing on Sunday Dec. 10th. when Hesha provides some great insights about:

• areas of the brain that get triggered when we’re upset and how to work with that,
• the subtle power dynamics often at play in negotiations,
• the game-changing impact of unexpected moves in any conversation. 

In the meantime, check out Hesha’s book, “Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension”, which contains all these insights and tools and a whole bunch more at: https://www.holdingthecalm.com. It might just be the perfect stocking stuffer for your entire family!

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

• Don’t mediate your family 
• What you see & what you cannot see when you look at others
• How to navigate family tension
• Listening to connect
• What mediators have learned

• Episode #3 – “When the Need Arises”
• Episode #5 ­ – “Breaking the Chain of Conflict”
• Episode #18 – “Re-humanizing One Another” 
• Episode #43 – “Using Nonviolent Communication® to Speak Your Truth”, Part 1
• Episode #44 – “Using NVC® to Speak Your Truth”, Part 2 

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

What does one do to co-create peace in times like these? Are we powerless to alter the direction and momentum in which humanity seems to be propelling itself helter-skelter into the abyss of mutual destruction? Are we destined to drown in the tsunami of hatred that threatens to wash away all that is good and beautiful in the world? 

Or, could we somehow, some way, transcend the tsunami of hatred, help others to do the same, and alter the dark & terrifying path we are heading down?

Welcome to “Transcending the Tsunami of Hatred”, Episode #127 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast about conscious communication and conflict transformation.

What if I told you that you, yes YOU, could be the single spark that ignites a global movement towards peace? Imagine a world where each individual can counteract the tide of hatred and violence, simply by embracing kindness, compassion, and collaboration. This episode of Co-Creating Peace is all about empowering you to make that profound impact. I’ll share practical strategies for resisting hatred and fostering peace, even when it feels like an uphill battle. 

Highlights include specific ways you can implement these four techniques to help you transcend hatred:

1. Live mindfully 
2. Transcend judgement
3.  Act in the opposite of that which you do not condone
4. Show up with kindness, compassion and collaboration.

Join me on a journey toward co-creating a more peaceful world, one person, one deep connection at a time.

You can hear additional information on mindfulness in my conversation with mindfulness expert and teacher, Andrew Safer in Episodes #71 & #72. Learn about my living mindfully learning retreat here.

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

If ever there were a need for empathy, it is now. Listening to the news about what’s going on around the world, it feels as though humanity is fragmenting right before our eyes. Empathy is the glue that holds humanity together. Empathy reminds us to nurture life through connecting with one another in kindness and compassion. Empathy is one of the most powerful tools we have to transform conflict into harmony.

Welcome to "Scaling the Empathy Wall”, Episode #126 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast about conscious communication and conflict transformation.

On Nov. 4th, I will host the 3rd in a series of Empathy Summits produced by the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy. Please join me for this free online Empathy Summit – "Why is Empathy Essential in Conflict Resolution?" We’ll hear from 5 international conflict resolution experts, then participate in Empathy Circles dialogues with other summit participants. To learn more and to register, visit https://www.empathysummit.com

Denise Blanc, joins me to talk about how curiosity and inquiry can help us to scale that invisible, but oh-so-daunting wall that seems to divide us from the people around us so that we can discover and remember the beauty of our shared humanity. Together we explore how we can find the commonalities that are the foundation for empathy by starting conversations with clear intentions, asking questions that take us beneath the superficial, and acknowledging others to help them to feel seen and appreciated.

Gems you’ll want to harvest:

• Connecting well with others begins with intention & curiosity
• Finding what we share in common helps build a foundation for empathy
• Acknowledging and asking open questions helps find our commonalities
• The wisdom that comes from initiating a “pattern interrupt”
•  “Interrogating” your biases can help you reality-test and transcend them

Denise Blanc, MA, EQCC, ACC is a communication expert, Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach, Facilitator, and Mediator. She coaches, teaches, and writes at the intersection of Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Transformation, and Mindfulness. 

Denise is the founder and CEO of River Logic Partners, a leadership coaching and consulting firm. 

 She is the author of RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships described as “a deeply insightful guide to living in the presence of conflict - fluidly, with equanimity, caring and skill.” Denise’s commitment is to inspire candor, courage, and compassionate communication in creating a more caring world.

You can learn more about Denise Blanc and her book “RiverLogic: Tools to Transform Resistance and Create Flow in all of our Relationships” by visiting www.riverlogictools.com

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.

Imagine a world where a simple circle can create a profound sense of belonging, shift confrontational conversations to collaborative explorations, and emphasize connection and inclusion. That world exists today in Peace Circles. Because of the work of Black Women for Positive Change, and other groups such as the Listen First Coalition, Braver Angels and Living Room Conversations, dialogue circles are happening across our nation and around the world. 

Enjoy “Co-creating Peace in Circles”, Episode #125 of Co-creating Peace, a podcast about conscious communication and conflict transformation.  

Today, I’m visiting with Renata Valree and Kim Best from Black Women for Positive Change to talk about Peace Circles – an initiative focused on youth to give them opportunities to come together in a safe environment to share their experiences and feelings about this troubled world they’ve inherited.

 Highlights you won‘t want to miss include:

• Confidentiality and non-judgmentalism promote safety when we speak about what’s important to us 
• More than ever, today’s Youth need empowerment 
• A primary responsibility of every adult is to teach children how to be by modeling that for them

Renata Valree is an Assoc. Professor at CA State University Dominguez Hills where she teaches in the Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peace-building graduate studies program. Renata has a Masters in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. She serves as E.D. of the Peace in Education Community Mediation Center, is a member of the leadership team for the Assoc. for Conflict Resolution, and is the former Dir. of the Office of the LA City Attorney's Dispute Resolution Program. 

Kimberly Best, RN, MA, is a Civil Mediator, Family Mediator & owner of Best Conflict Solutions, LLC, specializing in mediation and conflict resolution. She is President/Chair of the TN Assoc. of Professional Mediators and a volunteer Senior Mediator with the LA City Attorney’s office Community Police Unification Program. Kim is also a facilitator, restorative practices practitioner, trainer in dispute resolution processes, and a member of Mediators Beyond Borders, Int. Kim is committed to advancing dispute resolution practices for improving communication and finding optimal solutions for all parties.

Join the 12th annual Month of Non-Violence initiative during October. Visit blackwomenforpositivechange.org and click the Month of Non-violence tab to learn more and be a part of this wonderful experience! Sign-Up: https://monthofnonviolence.org/2023-month-of-non-violence-sign-up/

Contact Renata Valree at: [email protected]
Contact Kim Best at: [email protected]

Share your thoughts, reactions, feedback & ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you!

Please support Co-creating Peace:

• Subscribe to Co-creating Peace on your favorite podcast provider
• Send me your ideas for topics and guests or be a guest to talk about your communication or conflict resolution challenges and receive free communication coaching
• Share on social media & tell the world about Co-creating Peace! 
• Become a patron at www.patreon.com/CocreatingPeace

 Visit BridgesofPeace.com to learn more about Kathleen and her work.