In this groundbreaking book, John Winslade and Gerald Monk -- leaders in the narrative therapy movement-introduce an innovative conflict resolution paradigm that is a revolutionary departure from the traditional problem-solving, interest-based model of resolving disputes. The narrative mediation approach encourages the conflicting parties to tell their personal "story" of the conflict and reach resolution through a profound understanding of the context of their individual stories. The authors map out the theoretical foundations of this new approach to conflict resolution and show how to apply specific techniques for the practical application of narrative mediation to a wide-variety of conflict situations.

---

Product Description

In this groundbreaking book, John Winslade and Gerald Monk -- leaders in the narrative therapy movement-introduce an innovative conflict resolution paradigm that is a revolutionary departure from the traditional problem-solving, interest-based model of resolving disputes. The narrative mediation approach encourages the conflicting parties to tell their personal "story" of the conflict and reach resolution through a profound understanding of the context of their individual stories. The authors map out the theoretical foundations of this new approach to conflict resolution and show how to apply specific techniques for the practical application of narrative mediation to a wide-variety of conflict situations.

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #357563 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Review
"A groundbreaking book bringing together ideas of social constructionist theory, narrative therapy, and mediation. The authors develop a very clear framework toward understanding this approach with case examples provided. I found this book useful to me both as a practitioner and as a researcher." (Jerry Gale, director, MFT Doctoral Program, Department of Child and Family Development, The University of Georgia, Co-PI Mediator Skills ProjectJerry Gale, director of the MFT Doctoral Program, Department of Child and Family Development, The University of Georgia, Co-PI Mediator Skills Project)

"An important "must-read" for anyone who is contemplating mediation. John Winslade and Gerald Monk are consummately qualified to bring us this book that is rich in a social constructionist understanding and revolutionary in approach. Focusing on stories of respect, mutuality, consideration, and support, their suggestions can only lead to new possibilities of peaceful coexistence--on both personal and global levels." (Victoria C. Dickerson, cofounder, planet-therapy.com and coauthor, If Problems Talked: Narrative Therapy in Action)

Book Info
Maps out the theoretical foundations of this new approach to conflict resolution and shows how to apply specific techniques for the practical application of narrative mediation to a wide variety of conflict situations. Written for therapists, counselors, professional mediators, lawyers, students, and trainees in the field of dispute resolution.

From the Inside Flap
Most professionals trained to resolve conflicts ground their efforts in the theory that people are motivated by a desire to fulfill their personal interests. Mediators work to assist disputing parties by discovering a shared interest, which will motivate each party to resolve their conflicts. However, despite the widespread use of this traditional problem-solving, interest-based model of conflict resolution, incidents of violence, international hostilities, and legal disputes continue to escalate worldwide.In this book, John Winslade and Gerald Monk introduce narrative mediation-a new paradigm in the field of conflict resolution and a radical departure from the traditional interest-based, problem-solving approach to resolving disputes. Winslade and Monk reveal how this innovative approach, which seeks out the conflicting parties' individual stories, can be applied to create lasting resolution for a wide variety of conflicts. At the heart of narrative mediation lies the goal of developing a context for creating a relationship that is incompatible with conflict. This transformed relationship is built on stories of understanding, respect, and collaboration.Using actual scenarios from their mediation practice, Winslade and Monk show how the mediation context is filled with strong cultural narratives influenced by ethnicity, gAnder, class, education, and financial status. The narrative mediation technique guides professionals and their clients to make sense of the complex social contexts that shape conflicts, and ultimately helps to create new possibilities for change. In accessible, everyday language, the authors reveal how to build a trusting relationship with the disputing parties, map the effects of the history of the conflict, construct new solution-bound narratives, and finally move toward consensus and resolution.Written for therapists, counselors, professional mediators, lawyers, students, and trainees in the field of dispute resolution, Narrative Med

---

Customer Reviews

Brilliant
I read this book in this entirety and now I read sections before almost every mediation I conduct. Mediators will benefit from this fascinating approach that externalizes the problem. Externalization allows for a fresh way to help people resolve conflict. I highly recommend this book.

A Social Constructionist Mediation Book
John Winslade and Gerald Monk are two social constructionists out of New Zealand who, according to their own jacket flap, are "leading figures" in the narrative therapy movement. Their's is an interesting book with an interesting thesis: instead of seeing mediation as a problem-solving process where competing interests are resolved, they see it as a process where competing "stories" (or narratives) of the conflict are "deconstructed" and an alternate story is reconstructed. That alternate story is fashioned in large part out of a recognition of the culturally-influenced power relationships between the dispuiting parties, and with awareness of the cultural biases of the mediator as well. This theory specifically acknowledges one of the real weaknesses with conventional mediation, which is that mediators often struggle to maintain the detached neutrality that is expected of them. The narrative approach also seeks to recalibtate the relationship between the disputants instead of simply solving a particular problem.

This grounding in social constuctionist theory is both the strentgh and limitation of this book. First of all, the book is a bit jargonistic in places, as befitting a text with this philosophical underpinning. I would have enjoyed less of the philosophical treatise and more extensive real world examples of how this kind of mediation would actually work in practice. In addition, there is a problem with the theory itself, and that is that it blurs the traditional distinction between mediation and therapy. Since both authors emerged from the Mediation Therapy movement, this may be inevitable, but it is nontheless problematic. While mediation that has a therapeutic objective may be useful at times in settings like divorce mediation (or other disputes where the parties are likely to maintain long-standing relationships), it is not likely to be appropriate in a business setting or for the resolution of small-claim type disputes.

An Interesting Approach
This book is a good read for anyone interested in the theory of mediation and why it works. I find the premise of this book to be somewhat over-complicated. Narrative mediation starts from the idea that everyone has their own "story", which positions people in different places which inevitably produce different agendas and therefore conflicts. The authors differentiate this from the traditional view that what gets people into conflicts is that they want something which is an expression of the inner needs or interest. As an experienced mediator, I find the authors' proposed methods of allowing the parties to tell their own stories not necessarily in conflict with the traditional view, as it seems to be an outgrowth of the need to allow the parties to "vent" their point of view, while at the same time encouraging them to listen to each other. However, while I agree that the parties "stories" do place them in different places, I do not agree that the fact that they have different stories necessarily leads to conflict. One cannot discount the existence of an underlying reason for the conflict, apart from the parties' "stories." This is where I part company with the authors. Even so, the book is very helpful for an understanding of the mediation process. For a good "nuts and bolts" book, I also recommend Basic Skills for the New Mediator by Allan H. Goodman, even if you are an experienced mediator.