Finally a TV show about a mediator

I've thought of this for years, but didn't think it would happen. Soon a TV show called "Fairly Legal" starring a lead who is a mediator will be shown. I hope it's a fair representation of the field. Stay tuned!

I'm thankful for...

My faith, my husband who is my best friend, my co-workers Mark, Allie, Susan, Thomas and Debra, our great nieces Brittany and Alyssa and great nephews Kyle and Ryan, our church community, my upbringing by my parents Jim and Alberta.

I'm thankful for our military and all those who have bought us our freedom. I'm thankful that we have a home and live in a safe and kind neighborhood. I'm thankful that I'm a counselor and that I am entrusted with the lives of so many over the years. I'm thankful that as mediators we can help bring a little more peace to our world.

I'm thankful for the little miracles I see in life every day and for all that I can't now recall and that I at times take for granted.

I'm thankful for people who have mentored and helped me along my life's journey: Dr. John Keshock (JCU), Fred Vosen, Dr. Sally Wertheim (JCU), the teachers at NDA, my friend Fr. Tom Johns, my sister Jaye who has become a dear friend, Ann Clark, Terry Whalen, my classmates from St. Michael's who still meet monthly for lunch, Norma Delp, Albert Couch (our mediation teacher), my professional colleagues who have taught me so much. I have left many out, but they are not forgotten in my heart.

It is humbling to have all this and more for which I give thanks. On our wedding day, Fr. Tom told John and me that now together we have even more responsibility to do more for others and that more will be expected of us. We never forget that as we give thanks for abundant blessings.

Painting sells for $42.6M

Is anyone else bothered by this? A Lichtenstein painting, "Ohhh...Alright..." sold for a whopping $42.6M recently. Following that sale, Andy Warhol's Campbell soup can and opener went for a mere $23.9M (disappointing to some apparently who estimated it might go for up to $50M).

Pick a spot. Any spot on earth: Haiti, El Salvador, Appalachia, Africa. Does a painting justify that amount of money when people are struggling just to live through another day?

Don't get me wrong. I love the arts. I just think we should love people more.

2020 Vision - Where In the World Will Mediation Be In 10 Years?

This is a long article by Michael Leathes, but well worth reading for a brief history of mediation and a projection of where the emerging field will be as a profession in 2020.

2020 Vision - Where In the World Will Mediation Be In 10 Years?

Honoring our veterans

Today I took a dear friend who is a Viet Nam veteran (Marine)to lunch. We didn't talk about the war but spent most of the time catching up on family and personal matters. I could have attended one of many Veteran's Day ceremonies throughout the city like I did last year, but today I wanted to personalize it. It's not too late to do something to honor a vet today. Attend a memorial event, surprise her/him with a treat, thank them, say a prayer.

On another matter germaine to the day, why do government employees get a holiday, but veterans go to work? Why is this not a national holiday like Memorial Day?

Hats off to Caregivers

President Obama recently declared November as National Family Caregivers Month. Professional caregivers choose this professional because they have a passion for helping people in need and receive appropriate training. Non-professional caregivers, on the other hand, are often put in a position by default or choose to help their loved ones who are ill or incapacitated, and have little training. They "learn as they go," juggle their own families,careers and commitments along with their caregiver responsibilities.

So blessings on those caregivers who wear so many hats...chauffeur, cook, financial supporter, medicine dispenser, schedule organizer, decision-maker, and often a shoulder to cry on. We tip our hats to you!

Elder Mediation: What's in a Name?

I just came across a 2009 blog by Stephanie West Allen re: our book, Elder Mediation: A New Solution to Age-Old Problems. Believe it or not, I agree with her re: not liking the Elder Mediation (EM) term because 1) it seems lopsided in focus, excluding everyone else involved in the conflict and 2) older adults do not like the term “elder,” especially in America.

However, in researching for our book, we found that the term is fairly well established among mediators. From inside the profession, we all know what it means; for consumers, it’s not commonly known. I think ACR has a new division for EM, but it is called something else that is more inclusive. Since our target market is largely the mediation community, we went with the more familiar term EM.

Who knows what in 50 years it will be called. I like Stephanie West's term intergenerational mediation; have also seen it under family mediation. However, these seem to exclude the organizational issues from nursing home/AL, physician/older adult disputes, funeral home/family disputes, etc. Am looking forward to seeing how the field unfolds and what term “wins out” in the end.

Interestingly, during the last 10 years or so, the topic of what to call people over 60 has come up a lot at professional planning meetings I’ve attended. We’ve asked these folks what they prefer to be called, and many of them can’t agree. Here in Ohio, they don’t like the terms senior, older, golden-ager, elder, late life adult…They’re not sure what to call themselves either!

The dialogue continues...

Dr. John Bertschler featured speaker Nov. 1

eCare Diary

Susan Baida, eCareDiary blogtalk radio host, will interview Dr. John on Monday, November 1, 2 PM EST on the topic of Elder Mediation and caregiver decision-making. Please see link.

Reflection on Chilean Miners Rescue

Last night I was reading James Patterson's novel Cross Country in which the author tells of Alex Cross's horrifying trip to Africa to find a killer of a friend of his and her family. Killings, rapes, slashings, explosions all in the end because of international greed and power. Each incident is filled with terror, tears, screams, agony. While this is a novel, we know that these atrocities occur on a daily basis in many parts of the world.

Juxtaposed with that, I am watching the live video stream of the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners as they ascend from the depths to cheers, high-fives, hugs, kisses and tears of joy. I am amazed at the precision of technical planning, the respect in giving each miner a few minutes with his family, the preparation for psychological transition in the months ahead that went into this rescue. People using their minds and hearts for good on this earth.

My simple take-away, among others, is that we each have a choice to do good or evil during our time here. Most of us are only spectators of the heart-rending rescue in Chile. But we will go to work, interact with our families and cross paths with many people today who are in need of some small act of kindness, a smile, a favor, a shoulder to lean on. I lift up in prayer all those who make a choice for the good in our own corner of the world.

Five Sure-Fire Ways To Cause Conflict At Work

Five Sure-Fire Ways To Cause Conflict At Work