"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

All mediation involves conflict. However, some situations push far beyond ordinary levels of hostility. For those conflicts, additional training in an advanced set of skills for managing and redirecting conversations is helpful.

High conflict mediations can involve a number of challenging components, including explosive personalities, confrontational conflict styles, the potential for threats, significant power imbalances, or even a history of physical violence. Some of the skills and techniques used to manage these cases include:

• A more highly structured process
• Less emphasis on the past and a greater focus on the future
• A greater emphasis on practical problem solving
• Fewer discussions regarding relationships and emotions between the parties
• Careful management of party communications, including. The greater use of techniques like caucus