The Family Mediation Blog: September 2018

Wanted: Diverse Divorce Practitioners. Why Diversity is Good for All of Us

Wanted: Diverse Divorce Practitioners. Why Diversity is Good for All of Us

Cultural competence and sensitivity to the needs of diverse clients are an essential part of being an effective and successful professional.

My father-in-law recently underwent surgery to remove a kidney stone. It happened at a big hospital in New York City which, I understand, has an excellent urology department. As a first-generation immigrant from Shanghai, my father-in-law speaks limited English. After the surgery, while he was still slightly groggy from the anesthesia, a surgical resident who spoke some Chinese told him, without an interpreter, that the surgery went well and that 90% of the stone had been removed. A week later, my husband found out from the surgeon who actually performed the surgery that the stone was still there in…

Facilitated Family Meetings

Facilitated Family Meetings

By Halee Burg

I suspect many of us have experienced, at one time or another, how quickly extended family conflicts can unfold, and the damaging impact on valued relationships that often follows. Identity and values conflicts among family members may emerge and communication may unravel. Even in the closest of families, feelings about issues relating to aging parents or other loved ones run deep, and adult children and grandchildren may have vastly different perspectives regarding how evolving challenges should be managed. It is not uncommon for longstanding sibling rivalries to manifest as family members attempt to tackle -- often without the support of a neutral third party -- issues involving caregiving roles and responsibilities, residential options, decision making, and the like.

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