Hello Patch Readers!

            As a newcomer blog poster, I would like to acquaint you with the series of blogs I’ll be posting.  My topic is conflict resolution.  As a former lead facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project, I believe I can share some valuable information.

            We are living in troubled times with the threat of violence looming over our heads here at home and abroad.  Perhaps it is wise for take a good, hard look at what’s happening in our own little corner of the world to see what we might be able to do to deal with the violence existing in our own lives.  Like I used to tell inmates, violence doesn’t mean just guns and knives.  Your mouth can be a lethal weapon.

            So…my first question is:  How many of you like conflict?  Hmm…m, I don’t see a show of hands.  My second question is:  How many of you watched a movie, TV show, or read a book recently?  Yep!  Quite a few of you did and I’ll bet you wouldn’t have finished watching or reading unless there was conflict in the story.  My point is this, we must learn to make friends with conflict and this is done through what AVP refers to as Transforming Power.

            Stay tuned for the following:

*** How to fight Fair in 5 Easy Steps

*** On Listening

*** Using a Concentric Circle to Facilitate Positive Conversation at Home and in            the Workplace   

*** Perceptions Based on Partial Knowledge

*** Why Is Peace Such a Dirty Word?

*** Valuable Resources in Promoting Peace