Building a Wider Community of Understanding | | |
Hello friends, supporters, and recent program attendees,
One of the things I value most about CUC is the community that has grown around this work over the last 40 years. It includes mediators, attorneys, educators, workplace professionals, students, nonprofit leaders, donors, and many others who believe that greater understanding can change what happens when people find themselves in conflict.
This summer, our Board made a commitment to prioritize access to understanding-based conflict resolution for underserved communities and for the people and organizations working alongside them. I have been deeply grateful to see members of our community respond by stepping forward as Community Partners, directing their support toward people and causes that are personally meaningful to them.
These partnerships are helping us do more than offer financial assistance. They are helping CUC build relationships, reach new communities, and invite people into our programs who might not otherwise have access to this training and support. I hope you will take a few moments below to meet our Community Partners and learn about the work they are helping make possible.
October also brings several opportunities to come together and continue learning. We begin the month with our Introduction to Understanding Workplace Conflict, welcome a new Support and Development Group on October 13, and begin our annual 14-hour Fundamentals of Understanding Workplace Conflict program later in the month.
Whether you are joining us for a program, supporting someone else’s participation, sharing our work with your community, or simply staying connected, thank you. CUC continues to grow because people choose to bring this work into their professions, organizations, relationships, and communities.
I am grateful to be doing this work alongside you.
Best regards,
James Dykeman
Executive Director
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The words mediation and conflict resolution may sound formal or specialized -they may bring to mind a courtroom, a workplace dispute, a difficult negotiation, or a trained professional sitting between two people who cannot agree. But the realities behind those words belong to all of us – we know what it feels like when tension enters a room. We know the weight of a conversation left unfinished, the uncertainty of a relationship strained by misunderstanding, and the exhaustion that comes from feeling unheard. We recognize the fear beneath hostility, the distrust that grows when communication breaks down, and the distance that can emerge between people who once believed they understood one another.
Conflict appears in professional settings and legal challenges, but it is just as present in families, friendships, neighborhoods, organizations, and communities. It influences how we work together, how we make decisions, how we respond to change, and how we live among people whose experiences, values, needs, and perspectives may differ from our own. Conflict is not an occasional disruption to human life. It is one of the forces that shapes it. An ember of misunderstanding can remain small, or it can grow into something far more destructive. A disagreement can deepen into resentment. Resentment can become distrust. Distrust can harden into hostility, affecting not only the people directly involved but also their families, colleagues, communities, institutions, and, at times, entire countries.
| COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT | | |
Earlier this year, the CUC Board affirmed a commitment to expand access to understanding-based conflict resolution for underserved communities and the people and organizations that support them. Since then, members of our community have stepped forward with financial commitments focused on the people, places, and issues they hold especially close.
We are grateful to recognize these Community Partners:
Armonibre | Supporting underserved communities, with particular interest in children and young people, people affected by violence or abuse, human rights defenders, and displaced and migrant communities.
CEEQ | Center for Empathy and Emotional Intelligence | Supporting greater access to conflict resolution for families, schools, community organizations, and people navigating conflict.
Miller Law Group | Supporting immigrant and refugee families facing or experiencing separation in the New York Metropolitan Area.
Minovi Law & Mediation | Supporting low-income and underserved families navigating family conflict and separation in the New York Metropolitan Area.
Law & Mediation Office of Hansa R. Patel | Supporting homeless, at-risk, and transitional age youth in San Francisco and Marin Counties.
Rosenthal Law & Mediation | Supporting community and divorce mediation for communities of color in Harlem, New York.
Stargaze Mediators | Supporting restorative justice, reentry, and formerly incarcerated people in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Their support helps CUC move beyond simply offering financial assistance. It allows us to intentionally reach organizations and communities, invite participation at low or no cost, and provide continued access to tools and learning through CUC Connect and our training library.
Learn more about our Community Partners and how you can join them in expanding access to understanding-based conflict resolution.
| | FEATURED PODCAST RECORDING | | |
Mindfulness in Mediation with Guest Norman Fischer
Mindfulness and mediation can be vital to addressing suffering on both sides of a conflict while finding presence and calm in the mind of those tasked with bringing parties together.
Zen Buddhist priest Norman Fischer reflects on his history of helping mediation professionals through mindfulness training, supporting Ukrainian mediators during his recent Inside Out training program, and tips for practitioners to find presence in the heart of the storm during this episode of The Other Chair.
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Group discounts and financial support consideration
available for all trainings.
CUC is committed to supporting nonprofit and social impact teams working to bring people in conflict together and are open to requests for no or low cost attendance to applicable programs. Individual request for financial support may be submitted here: https://forms.gle/Kfh4qyhjzVGejDYS8
Please reach out to james@understandinginconflict.org to learn more.
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(Workplace Training) October 2 at 9AM - 1:30PM PT / 12PM - 4:30PM ET
Introduction to Understanding Workplace Conflict Mediation (SHRM and HRCI Eligible)
ONLINE
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN NOW AVAILABLE FOR CUC CONNECT MEMBERS
Conflict at work is inevitable – but it doesn’t have to be insurmountable. This 4.5-hour live interactive training introduces the core principles and practical tools of the Understanding-based approach to resolving workplace conflict. Whether you’re an HR leader, manager, consultant, attorney, or team member, this workshop provides a meaningful starting point for navigating challenging dynamics and building stronger professional relationships.
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(Group) October 13 thru February 9, 2027 at 9AM - 11AM PT / 12PM - 2PM ET
Support and Development Group – Fall 2026
ONLINE
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN NOW AVAILABLE FOR CUC CONNECT MEMBERS
Be a part of a dedicated group to bring your most pressing challenges, gain fresh perspectives, and explore innovative solutions with a community of like-minded professionals. The insights you gain, combined with the relationships you build, will deepen your mastery of the understanding-based model and enhance your effectiveness in the real-world situations you encounter daily. If you’re ready to invest in your growth and be part of a dynamic learning environment, we encourage you to sign up or reach out with any questions. Take the next step in your professional journey—this is the perfect setting to refine your skills, gain support, and make lasting connections.
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(Workplace Training) Oct. 23, Nov. 6 & 20 at 9AM - 2:30PM PT / 12PM - 5:30PM ET
Fundamentals of Understanding Workplace Conflict (SHRM and HRCI Eligible)
ONLINE
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN NOW AVAILABLE FOR CUC CONNECT MEMBERS
This comprehensive 14-hour workshop builds upon foundational conflict resolution concepts from our 4-hour introductory course to tackle the sophisticated challenges of workplace disputes. Participants will move beyond basic techniques to develop skills in understanding multi-layered conflicts, de-escalating tensions, developing mutual understanding between employees, and maintaining resilience even in high-stakes situations.
| | Our annual membership program, CUC Connect, is a home for those drawn to the understanding-based approach to conflict resolution. Members have access to a year of live webinars sharing practical tools and tips for professional development, exploring hot-button issues for practitioners, and panel interviews with leading minds working in the field. | | |
CUC Connect is available at no cost to enrolled college and university students with an interest in conflict resolution education.
CUC is committed to supporting nonprofit and social impact teams working to bring people in conflict together and are open to requests for no or low cost attendance to applicable programs, including CUC Connect.
Please reach out to james@understandinginconflict.org to learn more.
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