Aria Group

Mediation

Description of Practice

  • For more than three decades, Dr. Rothman has intervened in hundreds of cases, large and small, between individuals and groups, and taught and trained thousands of people around the world.
  • We conduct highly complex mediations between individuals.
  • We often work in cases where others have given up.
  • Our emphasis is on participatory and empowering processes.
  • Our mediations often take place within organizational settings where individuals have personal issues with each other and/or there are system faults that make them worse. In short, we tend to both individual and system dimensions of conflict.
  • This approach has been called “humanistic mediation.”

Process

  • We support people to view conflict as a mirror.
  • Through gazing in this mirror with our support, people we work with often gain meaningful insight about their own goals and values that are at stake in a particular confrontation.
  • We explore Why is this conflict so important to oneself and other side.
  • In this way, usually through coaching of each side separately and guiding sides’ into dialogue together, we have a long and successful track record in supporting people to learn meaningfully about themselves and others.
  • When conflicts are so constructively engaged, disputants become learners and conflicts become opportunities for discovery. This often leads to new beginnings.

Education and Experience

  • Dr. Rothman has a doctorate in international relations with a sub-focus on organizational and intergroup conflict. He is trained as a mediator and facilitator in traditional and transformative mediation, small group dynamics, organizational consulting, meeting management, art of hosting and international conflict resolution.

  • 30 years of experience in two dozen countries:

  • Coaching individual leaders.

  • Mediating between individuals and groups stuck in destructive conflict cycles.

  • Facilitating within and between groups seeking to work better together

  • Supporting large-scale collaborative vision-to-action projects.

     

Representative Cases

  • Between siblings in conflict over their parents’ will.

  • With top leadership and boards in business, foundations and non-profit organizations.

  • In higher education settings (including college presidents, deans and their faculty).

  • With dozens of community development, environmental and social justice organizations across the world.

  • Within intact families who want to deepen trust and understanding, and between divorced couples who have had ongoing conflicts in their post-marriage relationship (especially dealing with children).

  • Between founders and successors in closely-held and family businesses.

  • Within and between identity groups (such as police and community, Israelis and Palestinians) seeking to work better together, instead of at cross purposes.

     

Testimonials

“I have worked with Jay Rothman on a variety of intense conflict resolution projects over the past 25 years. Jay is an extremely capable mediator, facilitator, teacher and researcher. He is highly effective at working with disputants to address the genuine sources of their conflict and to avoid the temptation to settle for superficial solutions that will be neither durable nor effective. He is committed to a highly ethical approach to intervention that respects the autonomy, integrity, and long term needs of those involved in a dispute.”

-Bernie Mayer

“Tareq and I were so lucky to have the opportunity to work with Jay. He not only helped us engage in our work and manage conflicts in our team, but helped give us the tools to continue to practice positive conflict engagement after we finished our sessions with him. The ripple effect of his work is long lasting. Thanks so much Jay.”

– Meredith Rothbart

“I heartily recommend Jay Rothman to you. He was my Special Master for a year before, during and after the unrest/race riots in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2001. He masterfully helped put together and guided a tremendously complex city-wide participatory and multi-stakeholder group process which eventually included 3,500 participants. This unprecedented process helped to pave the way for one of the most significant policing reforms in the United States. In addition to his design and facilitation of this process, he was constantly mediating between the highest civic and political leaders and a wide array of citizens. He kept his cool even when folks around him were heated and antagonistic. In short, Jay helped me and my legal team and the entire city transform itself.”

– Susan Dlott

“Jay Rothman has been a pioneer in the practice of mediation for more than three decades, bringing an incredible breadth of experience and wisdom to his practice. I’ve known Jay over the past ten years and am continuously inspired by his dedication, integrity and experience. Whether looking for someone to facilitate a mediation or peace process or to support organisations and agencies in the field, Jay is someone who can engage to bring the best of what this field can offer. I highly recommend him and would encourage agencies, organisations and practitioners in the field as well as parties in conflict looking for effective solutions to reach out to Jay for the support he can provide.”

– Kai Brand-Jacobsen

In preparation for conflict coaching or mediation, our clients fill out a confidential survey. To explore our approach and if we might be of service to you, please fill out our ARIA App in preparation for a free, confidential 30-minute consultation.