Please accept our apologies if this reaches you in error––we may have included emails that did not sign up for the newsletter. If you do not want to be on the newsletter mailing list send us an email or use the unsubscribe feature. Thanks.

August 2026

Mediator Musings: Rest

Sara Barnes

My son was two and playing on the sidewalk with the other kids. Laura, the next-door neighbor, jiggled her one-year-old. “I think for the first time in over two years,” I said, “I might not be overwhelmingly tired.” She replied, “I’m hoping to have that feeling soon, I’m just so exhausted!” As I think back on it, it wasn’t so much sleep I was craving. Something different. Rest.

Seven Different Types of Rest

I was pleased to find the work of Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine physician, a speaker, and the award-winning author of the book Sacred Rest. Dalton-Smith posits seven types of rest: Physical, Mental, Sensory, Creative, Emotional, Social and Spiritual.

Is It Related to Conflict Resolution?

I think it’s pretty obvious: those who are in need of rest are likely not in the best shape to resolve conflicts well. Here are some ways to think about rest and the complex process of working things out with others.

Slow down. One of the suggestions for handling your own daily conflicts is to slow down, take a breather, think beyond the moment.

Sleep on it. Most things look better in the morning, after a night’s sleep.

Do something physical. Moving, even for short walk or a quick swim, can reset your brain for thinking more clearly.

Name your emotions. Just acknowledging your emotions can be a helpful reminder that we are all emotional beings.

Calm your sensory input. To me it seems that modern society is such a sensory overload, all the time.

Do something for others. Helping other people, or the planet as a whole, can be a way to create a more expansive approach to rest.

The idea that rest is a good thing, and not the mark of laziness, is something I hope can become a more prevalent and acceptable perspective. One component of Dalton-Smith’s list that is notable is the concept of social rest. There is nothing more healing that being around others who are caring and like-minded in their commitment to a cause— or just there to be your friend and cheer for your good fortune.

Being part of a community can help each of us to become our best selves, to be brilliant and helpful, kind and caring, and to do all of that while keeping track of our needs for rest.

Read a longer column here, with posters, links and even a rest quiz.

Back to School with

our Youth Program

A new school year means our Youth Program is gearing up to support students in building communication and conflict resolution skills that strengthen their ability to listen, understand different perspectives, and work through disagreements constructively.

🕊️ Third Grade Peace Project

Our ten-week Peace Project introduces third graders to the building blocks of positive communication and conflict resolution. Through stories, games, role-play, and team activities, students explore emotions, active listening and finding common ground.

🤝 Sixth Grade Introduction to Mediation

Building on skills learned through our third-grade curriculum, our eight-week program gives sixth graders a hands-on introduction to mediation. Students practice active listening, identifying and framing issues, understanding different perspectives and generating solutions through interactive workshops and realistic scenarios.

🌱 Growing Youth Leadership

Looking ahead, MV Mediation is developing a peer mediation program for high school students. Through hands-on training, students will take on leadership roles as peer mediators within their school. The program will create opportunities for students to address conflicts collaboratively while building a sustainable, youth-led approach to conflict resolution across the Island.

As students head back to the classroom this fall, we’re excited to continue helping young people develop skills that extend far beyond the school day—and into the relationships and communities they will build throughout their lives.

Interested in our Youth Program? Contact youth@mvmediation.org to learn more.

Fall Courses

To view our full Courses at a Glance offerings, click here.

Intro to Mediation

Our Introduction to Mediation course consists of 36 hours of class + independent work taught in two sections. The first 18 hours is Mediation Basics. The second 18 hours is Mediation Qualification. Participants who complete both sections will apprentice, if desired, with MV Mediation in order to become a qualified mediator in Massachusetts.

Section One, Mediation Basics, will be held on Tuesdays from 10 am to 1 pm beginning November 3, 2026. All classes will be via Zoom.

1. November 3 - What is mediation?

2. November 10 - Setting the stage

3. November 17 - Listening to the conflict story

4. November 24 - Crafting mediation questions

5. December 1 - Negotiating in mediation

6. December 8 - Developing the final agreement

Section Two, Mediation Qualification in Massachusetts, will be held on Tuesdays from 10 am to 1 pm beginning January 12, 2027. All classes will be via Zoom.

1. January 12 - Mitigating impasse

2. January 19 - Mediation and neuroscience

3. January 26 - Biases and diversity in mediation

4. February 2 - Power imbalances

5. February 9 - Handling emotions in mediation

6. February 16 - Ethical dilemmas in mediation

Join our Conflict Coaching Course, beginning Monday, September 28, with weekly Zoom sessions from 10 am to 12:30 pm. Register Here

Using the CLAMSHELL coaching model, participants learn how to help others navigate conflict with confidence while building stronger communication and problem-solving skills. The course includes personalized mentoring from experienced coach mentors and supervised practice sessions, giving participants the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned and complete training as qualified conflict coaches.

Whether you work with people professionally or simply want to become a more effective communicator, this course offers practical skills you can use every day.

Designed for experienced mediators, our twelve-session in-depth Couples Mediation Course begins on Thursday, October 8, and meets via Zoom from 5 to 7 pm. Register Here

Through discussion, demonstrations, role-play, and reflective practice, participants will gain the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to confidently mediate relationship and marital conflicts. The course also includes opportunities for one-on-one mentoring with leaders in the field and offers flexible participation options for mediators, observers and role-players.

Whether you’re looking to qualify to mediate couples or to expand your existing practice, this course provides practical skills and expert instruction from experienced family mediators.

With the right skills, workplace conflict can become an opportunity for stronger communication, collaboration and growth. Join our Workplace Conflict Management Cohort beginning November 2, with weekly Zoom sessions on Mondays from 10 to 11:30 am. Register Here

Designed for managers and supervisors, this confidential, interactive cohort uses real-world case studies to help participants strengthen their conflict management skills, develop practical strategies, and learn from peers. The program also includes an opportunity for an individual consultation with a mentor, providing personalized support for your workplace challenges.

Continue to build your mediation skills with our Advanced Mini Courses, offered on Mondays from 4 to 5:30 pm. Register/Learn More Here

Improv for Mediators:

Build your ability to think on your feet, stay flexible and respond effectively when the unexpected (inevitably!) arises.

Handling Challenging Behaviors:

Explore practical approaches for working with challenging behaviors and navigating ways people experience conflict. Participants will consider emotions, perspectives, culture and communication styles and strategies for building trust and creating more productive conversations.

MEDIATORS’ CHECK-IN

A weekly drop-in for those in the conflict resolution field including local, national and international mediators, facilitators and coaches. New topics weekly. Donations appreciated. Wednesdays at 4 pm––all welcome!

August Series: "Wrestling with Our Own Mediator/Coach Judgments—What to Say When . . ."

August 19 — When their planning decisions don't match your own
August 26 — When their workplace decisions don't match your own

September Series: "Meet This Amazing Mediator" September 2–30

October Series: "Nervous System Reset—Regulate Yourself to Be Able to Help Others"

Email education@mvmediation.org for the Zoom link.

Have a suggestion for Mediators’ Check-in? Send ideas here: https://forms.gle/J7mFfw99awtKKsS

We are here to serve our community, all residents, regardless of immigration status. See information about immigration here. If you know someone on Martha’s Vineyard who needs advice on immigration matters, please contact Corey Lazar, immigration attorney, for a FREE consultation. Click HERE to request a FREE consultation.

Estamos aqui para servir nossa comunidade, todos os residentes, independentemente do status de imigração. Veja informações sobre imigração aqui. Se você conhece alguém em Martha’s Vineyard que precise de orientação sobre questões de imigração, entre em contato com Corey Lazar, advogado especializado em imigração, para uma consulta gratuita.

Energy Resources for Massachusetts Consumers

Did you know the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office advocates on behalf of utility customers to help ensure safe, reliable and affordable service? Through its Energy and Environment Bureau, the AGO provides resources on understanding utility bills, energy affordability programs, competitive electric supply, solar and more.

We also encourage you to read their Summer 2026 edition of The Energy Advocate, which shares practical information on lowering energy costs, updates on utility consumer protections and recent advocacy that has helped save Massachusetts ratepayers money.

Read the rest of the newsletter about our programs, partners, upcoming events, DEIBJ, team meetings and more by clicking on the link view entire message below.

Board of Directors’ Corner

At our July Board meeting, we reflected on MV Mediation’s mission, vision and core values and how they continue to shape our work and guide our decisions. The Board also reviewed the Annual and Membership Meeting minutes and received updates from our Board President and our Executive Director. Looking ahead to FY27, we discussed what’s on the horizon for MV Mediation, including Board and staff priorities, our service roster and opportunities to strengthen and grow our work in the coming year.

Community Resource Spotlight:

Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha's Vineyard

At MV Mediation Center, we regularly work with families and older adults navigating difficult conversations around caregiving, aging, serious illness and life transitions. We know that having the right support and resources can make all the difference, which is why we’re pleased to highlight the work of Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha's Vineyard (HPCMV).

HPCMV has launched a newly redesigned website and a new educational video to help Island residents better understand hospice and palliative care and feel more comfortable seeking support. Many people are surprised to learn that HPCMV’s services are available not only at the end of life, but throughout the course of serious illness, caregiving, and grief—and that many services are provided at little or no cost.

Learn more here: https://hospiceofmv.org/

Watch their educational video here: https://youtu.be/q79j3h3L2yY

Events & Calendars

Upcoming Events:

August 20, 2026 | 8 –11 am Info Table at Identity Coffee / The Center on Main: MV Mediation will share information about our services and connect with local residents and businesses. 📍 The Center on Main, 49 Main St., Taunton, MA.
August 20, 2026 | 11 am Consumer Clinic: MV Mediation will provide consumer assistance and information at the Tisbury Council on Aging. 📍 34 Pinetree Road, Tisbury, MA.
August 29, 2026 | 11 am – 2 pm End of Summer Bash: MV Mediation will join Old Colony YMCA – Taunton for an afternoon of community fun, including Touch-a-Truck, games and giveaways, food and an open house. 📍 Taunton YMCA, 71 Cohannet St., Taunton, MA.

Our Friends’ Calendars:

SPECIALIZED TEAM MEETINGS

Wednesdays 9–10:30 am

September 9 • Divorce & Family Team

September 23 • Bristol Team

September 30 • Small Claims Team

October 7 • Housing Team

Email info@mvmediation.org for the Zoom link.

DEIJ+B: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, JUSTICE + BELONGING

Learning through

a Conflict Resolution Lens

Each month, we highlight observances that invite us to reflect on the values at the heart of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging. Through a conflict resolution lens, these recognitions remind us that strong communities are built through empathy, respectful dialogue and a willingness to understand one another across differences.

National Friendship Day (August 2) — Friendship reminds us that relationships don't happen by accident. They're built through trust, communication and a willingness to work through disagreements. Conflict is a natural part of every relationship, and learning to navigate it can strengthen connections.

National Wellness Month — August is National Wellness Month, a time to focus on the habits that support our physical, emotional and mental well-being. Healthy conflict management is an important part of overall wellness. Investing in conflict resolution skills isn't just good for our relationships; it's good for our health!

World Humanitarian Day (August 19) — World Humanitarian Day honors those who work to support people facing crisis and reminds us that compassion can take many forms. While humanitarian work often responds to urgent needs, it also depends on long-term cooperation, understanding and the ability to bridge differences.

OUR PROGRAMS & SERVICES:

AGRICULTURAL & FARMING MEDIATION

As you explore the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society's Farm Guide and support the Island's incredible farms, remember that healthy farms depend on healthy relationships, too. MV Mediation is part of a national network of USDA-supported farm, agriculture and aquaculture mediation programs, providing assistance to farmers, growers and aquacultural businesses navigating challenges such as debt, neighbor disputes, succession planning, workplace conflict, management issues and more.

Most services are free or low-cost thanks to USDA funding. As a farm-supportive community, we're proud to support the people who keep Martha's Vineyard's agricultural traditions thriving.

CONFLICT COACHING

A voluntary, confidential and self-determined one-on-one process designed to assist individuals to gain a new perspective. Conflict coaching can be an alternate service when one person requests mediation but the other party declines. Clients, along with their coach, review healthy conflict-resolution tools and strategies, leaving with a self-determined plan to productively resolve conflict.

LOCAL CONSUMER PROGRAM

MV Mediation’s Local Consumer Program (LCP) is part of a statewide network of agencies working together in cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office to help protect consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices. If you’re facing challenges with retail purchases, utility bills, home improvement contracts, car sales and financing or any other consumer transaction, our LCP staff can provide advocacy and an opportunity to work with the business toward a solution — without going to court. To file a complaint against a business, the first step is to fill out the complaint form through the Attorney General's Consumer Advocacy & Response Division.

FAMILY MEDIATION PROGRAM

Divorce, Family & Conflict Resolution

We offer help talking with your spouse or partner about divorce, parenting issues, custody schedules, financial decisions and communication itself, and can help you to renegotiate existing plans. We also work with reconciling couples and those who have conflicts they need help to resolve. Listen to this description of Divorce and Family Mediation.

Here is a recent article about the practice of Couples Mediation, a conflict resolution process for couples who are working to strengthen their conflict resolution skills and work toward making better decisions through improved communication and understanding.

MEDIAÇÃO EM CASOS DE FAMÍLIA E DIVÓRCIO

Divórcio, Disputas em Familia e Resolução de Conflitos

Conflitos entre marido e mulher, pais e filhos, problemas conjugais, com parceiros ou entre familiares, divórcio, custódia física e legal, planejamento para os cuidados do menor, visitação de menores, revisão do suporte financeiro e plano de visitação, divisão de bens e possível reconciliação. info@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2999

HOUSING MEDIATION PROGRAM

Tenant or Landlord Conflict?

We offer FREE MEDIATION for housing cases in Dukes and Bristol Counties and information about RAFT––rental financial assistance for back rent or moving out. Take a look at this article from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reporting about erroneous information about tenants being used and affecting homelessness and evictions.

MEDIAÇÃO EM CASOS DE MORADIA

Conflitos entre o proprietário e inquilinos?

Mediação GRÁTIS para qualquer tipo de conflito relativo a sua moradia nos Condados de Dukes e Bristol, e informações sobre o RAFT- programa de assistência financeira.

admin@mvmediation.org or call 508-693-2199

RE-ENTRY PROGRAM

Easier Transition from Incarceration to Community

Re-entry Mediation is FREE to incarcerated individuals, pre-release, and recently released individuals, post-release. For more information, check out our flyers for pre-released and post-released individuals.

IN-COURT AND COURT-REFERRED

MEDIATION SERVICES

MV Mediation provides free mediation services for eviction cases in Bristol and Dukes Counties. We are present at District Courts in Attleboro, Fall River, Taunton and Edgartown for summary process cases. MVMC offers free services for civil cases and small claims in advance of the court date. We are also qualified to provide in-court and court-referred services for Dukes County District, Superior, Probate and Family Courts. We provide mediation for pre-criminal and 286 E harassment cases. Our Juvenile court mediators help with cases referred from the Juvenile Court. MV Mediation waives fees for cases referred by court or with an active docket number.

WORKPLACE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

MV Mediation provides support to resolve conflicts in the workplace. We provide workshops and develop conflict resolution projects with workplaces, nonprofit organizations and municipal and trades workplaces. Our confidential Workplace Management Cohort for supervisors and managers is a popular offering.

FACILITATION SERVICES

MV Mediation provides facilitation services for groups, boards of directors, organizations, companies and families. Neutral and confidential facilitation allows those who are attending the meeting to fully participate. If you need facilitation services, please reach out to discuss your needs. Read this article that describes how a facilitator can help you or your organization.

“We are in a much better place since we had a facilitator help us to pull things together. Thanks to the mediation program for all your help.”

–– A recent facilitation client

SOCIAL MEDIA

Following us on social media is a great way to support MV Mediation! Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Don’t miss out on helpful tips about managing conflicts in your daily life. You will also get the latest information about community events, workshops and courses.

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

THANK YOU, DONORS!

Thank you for being part of our important conflict resolution work for 41 years. Your generosity helps us to further our impact and support community needs.

Donate here