by Nancy | Feb 19, 2025
How do you start or restart a pendulum? You give it a hearty push and it goes all the way to the left, and then all the way to the right, and so on, until it settles in the middle. I use this analogy frequently in my mediation practice, especially when I’m talking to...
by Nancy | Feb 12, 2025
I was conducting a divorce mediation recently, and the couple asked me to help them communicate in a more respectful way. The wife felt unappreciated and said to the husband, “You never give me a compliment.” He immediately denied it, and here’s why. It’s...
by Nancy | Feb 5, 2025
t should come as no surprise to you that peace has a price tag. Due to the recent passing of President Jimmy Carter, I was reminded of the Camp David Accords, and the deal negotiated by President Carter resulting in one of the most famous peace treaties in history...
by Nancy | Jan 29, 2025
No matter whether you’re about to quit your job or end your relationship, strategically planning the exit means setting emotions aside while you make a practical “to do” list. This is neither the time nor the place to improvise. Instead, and before your internal GPS...
by Nancy | Jan 22, 2025
Once in awhile, I like to shift my focus from relationships that are ending to relationships that are enduring. Nice twist, right?Whether you’ve been together for two years or 42 years, I’m sure you’ll agree that your relationship has gone through...
by Nancy | Jan 15, 2025
Can you cry on demand? I can. All I need to do is conjure up a memory about my late husband or my deceased parents, and the tears start to roll. Those memories are emotional triggers for me. During a recent divorce mediation I used the word “appreciation” and, as it...
by Nancy | Jan 8, 2025
I’m a little bit embarrassed to admit that I’ve been devouring all of the gossip concerning the finalization of Brad and Angelina’s divorce. My rationale is that I’m a divorce mediator, so I need to look at it for professional purposes.So much...
by Nancy | Jan 1, 2025
I just finished rereading my “Life is Good” blog that I posted to end 2019. A lot of the items on my list still ring true for me. There also were a lot of significant changes. Little did we know that as 2020 approached, the entire world would turn upside...
by Nancy | Dec 25, 2024
When I was a teenager, I was strolling around Topanga Plaza, a large shopping mall near my house. I happened to be walking by a phone booth (remember those?) when I heard the phone ring. So, I answered it and began a conversation with another teenager who said she...
by Nancy | Dec 18, 2024
Some experts consider compromise to be a balancing act. I consider it an art. Imagine you’ve been commissioned to paint a watercolor for friends of friends. (I’ll call them “Harry” and “Sally”). You’re standing in your...
by Nancy | Dec 11, 2024
As you can probably imagine, divorce mediation can be an emotional experience. It’s like a gut-punch to me when I hear my clients talk about their dreams being destroyed. Obviously, when we get married, it’s not with the expectation of eventually getting...
by Nancy | Dec 4, 2024
A friend of the family passed away a few months ago. The funeral was across the country, so I didn’t attend. However, I learned afterwards about a dramatic scene that literally took place at the gravesite. Evidently, there had been bad blood between...
