Mediation Center

04/17/2026

Have you ever wished you could get a closer look at a place that has a major impact on your community?

For the past four years, we’ve had the honor of working with the Community Advisory Council to Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Refinery in Dakota County. One thing that continues to stand out is that serving on the CAC gives local residents a real opportunity to learn, ask questions, share concerns, and help bring community perspectives into the conversation.

The CAC brings together residents and refinery leaders to share information, discuss issues, and make recommendations related to refinery operations, including environmental, health, and safety topics. It is a thoughtful group that takes its work seriously and models the kind of respectful, informed dialogue communities need more of.

If you live in Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount, Nininger Township, Coates, Empire Township, Hastings, or Vermillion Township, I hope you will consider applying. It is a meaningful way to serve your community and participate in important conversations that affect it.

Applications are now being accepted, and interviews will begin soon:
https://lnkd.in/gCW7kXKt

02/02/2026

If you work with conflict - mediation, law, HR, education, leadership - this is for you.

✅ Watch the replay (free): Ken Fox’s Perspectives on Conflict book launch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgf9Uv_nkcE

⚖️ Time-sensitive: Our certified and CLE-approved 30-Hour Civil Mediation Skills training starts next Tuesday and the class is almost full.
➡️ Register here: See link in comments below

🧠 Want a deeper dive into the book with CLE credit?
➡️ Register for Ken’s live virtual CLE course: See link in comments below

Welcome to the official replay of the "Perspectives on Conflict" book launch conversation.In this event recording, Kenneth H. Fox and Tobin Lay explore what ...

11/27/2025

This Thanksgiving, we extend our deepest gratitude to our friends and members of the Mediation Center community. Your trust, commitment, and collaboration not only strengthen our work, but also create a space where understanding and resolution thrive. Thank you for being an essential part of our mission and for fostering a spirit of unity and respect. Wishing you and your families a meaningful and restful holiday.

10/16/2025

🌎 Happy International Conflict Resolution Day

Today, we celebrate peacemakers everywhere and honor the courage, patience, and compassion it takes to build peace in a divided world.

✨ To all who already practice peace — mediators, facilitators, community leaders, and everyday bridge-builders — thank you! Your work reminds us that resolution is possible, that understanding can be chosen, and that listening is an act of love. Here are a few meaningful ways you can celebrate today:

- Share a personal story or insight about resolving conflict.
- Offer a listening ear to someone in tension or crisis.
- Post a reflection or quote about peacebuilding to keep dialogue alive.
- Encourage your peers to pause and practice empathy in their interactions.

💡 For those who aren’t yet involved in conflict resolution — today is your invitation to join the movement. You don’t have to be a mediator to make a difference. Each of us can learn to navigate conflict with patience and purpose. Consider taking a mediation skills course through Mediation Center — where you’ll gain practical tools for transforming disputes into opportunities for understanding and growth.

Let’s make this International Conflict Resolution Day a reminder that Peace Isn’t Passive — It’s Something We Learn, Practice, and Choose Together.

🕊️

10/01/2025

🌟 Big news! we were recently featured on a podcast where our Director, Tobin Lay, shared the many ways mediation skills can change lives — at work, at home, and in our communities.

These skills aren’t just for mediators. They’re for anyone who wants to:
✨ Listen more deeply
✨ Handle conflict with confidence
✨ Build stronger relationships

🎙️ Watch the full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8AeICEAbkM

💡 Curious to learn these skills yourself? Check out our upcoming trainings here: https://mediationcentermn.org/training/

Because the world needs more peacemakers. 🌍🤝

09/22/2025

Congratulations to the graduates of the recent 40-Hour Family Mediation training that ended yesterday! I've had the great privilege of working with this group for over much of the summer - first in the 30-Hour Civil Mediation course, followed by the 40-Hour Family Mediation course. The dedication this group had to learning these skills was inspiring; the discussions they had were enlightening; and their passion to make the world around them better, refreshing. I am so excited to see the work they will do! Best of luck to each of you: Abdifatah Abdi, Abdullahi Irshat Sheikh, Abdirahman Sheikh Omar Ahmad, Aida Lewis, Ahmed Anshur, Ardo Khalif Ibrahim, Maxamed Axmed, Abraham Evra, Mohamed Mursal, and Nimo Abdi. Thank you Abdi Ali and Center for Multicultural Mediation for your partnership and a huge thank you to all of the instructors and coaches who made it happen.

09/15/2025

Congratulations to our most recent graduates of the 30-Hour Civil Mediation training: Brian Witte, Charley Swanson, Cynthia Smith-Strack, Jenny Arndt, Joseph Reid, Julia Douglass, Loretta Garrett, Melinda Aurandt, Michele Holcomb, Robert Schug, and Shawn Bartsh. Your commitment to advancing the practice of dispute resolution is inspiring. We’re confident you’ll make a positive impact within your jobs, communities, and beyond. Wishing you success as you help foster peace and understanding.

06/30/2025

How do you navigate particularly challenging conversations? This was the #1 topic requested in our recent survey, and we’re excited to now bring it to you—virtually!—in our next Mediation Center mini-course.

Join in online for “Approaching Difficult Conversations” with Dr. Martin Stillman, a physician, lawyer, and mediator who currently serves as the Mediation and Conflict Resolution Officer for Hennepin Health System in Minneapolis.

It’s a 90-minute, lunch-hour learning opportunity (via Zoom) on July 24, designed for professionals who want practical tools to handle conflict with more clarity, purpose, and confidence.

Register here :https://mediationlearning.com/course-detail.php?a=6

06/27/2025

Our Mini-Courses are in full swing, and we're thrilled with the responses from students!

Have you signed up for the next one? Register here: https://mediationcentermn.org/continuing-education/

06/24/2025

We are excited for the wonderful group of attendees who signed up to join our mini course on Thursday! Registration is open for one more day at this link - we'd love to see you there!

Secure your spot here: https://mediationlearning.com/course-detail.php?a=7