Learning How to Manage Conflicts More Effectively
Lessons from a conflict resolution guru
At the program where I worked as a clinical counselor, I was often referred to as the conflict resolution guru. That meant that when two clients were having a conflict, I was often called on to run the conflict resolution session.
By conflict, I mean CONFLICT. A conflict in this environment would mean two clients who were consistently at odds, often yelling at each other, often coming down off the substances they’d been using, combined with the symptoms of their mental health disorders.
Often, one would threaten the other, and vice versa. These women didn’t play.
Why I loved resolving conflicts
It’s not that I didn’t feel anxious walking into the therapy room upstairs with the two warring women. Oh, I did. Sometimes, another counselor would accompany me, especially if one of the women was my client and the other one was another counselor’s client. But I was assumed to be in charge, whether I did it alone or with someone else.
I came to love conflict resolutions because of the results. Usually, I’d get to witness two women who seemed to hate each other be able to find a common ground, to the point where they’d be hugging and crying at the end of the…
