Living Through Crisis, Anxiety and Polarization: The Effects on CDR Professionals and Our Cases

Members of the California Institute for Consensual Dispute, Jon Kramer, LCSW, Dr. Mary Lund, PhD, and Jennifer Winestone, Esq have coauthored an article, titled, “Living Through Crisis, Anxiety and Polarization: The Effects on CDR Professionals and Our Cases.” Their article explores the challenging ways in which today’s crises—ranging from global pandemics and natural disasters to political polarization and economic instability—are reshaping trends within Consensual Dispute Resolution (CDR). As mediation and collaborative divorce have evolved from revolutionary alternatives to mainstream practices for divorce resolution, CDR professionals now face increasingly complex cases mixed with collective anxiety and trauma. Recognizing that CDR professionals are themselves affected by the same stressors as their clients, their article also underscores the importance of self-care, boundary setting, and peer support to avoid professional burnout.

A Mediator’s/Collaborator’s Role in These Times of Uncertainty:

In an era of rapid change and collective trauma, Consensual Dispute Resolution (“CDR”) Practitioners may benefit from reflecting on how social dynamics, economic challenges, and the ever-deepening impact of global crises affect our work. Whether it has been the evolution of mediation to mainstream conflict resolution, escalating effects of natural disasters, and world issues, and the general cultural shifts occurring as a result, we as professionals are increasingly faced with a world where the issues that bring people to the CDR process are deeply intertwined with broader societal fear and worry. This is our challenge as CDR professionals; and, we do so within the context of how we navigate our own responses to these same pressures.

Read the entire blog HERE