Dates: May 18 – 19, 2019; 10:00am – 5:00pm
Sliding Scale: $150 – 400. Code DR1M19.
12 CE credits available for $120, for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors.

Description:
We are living at a time when conflict and insecurity are increasingly pervasive, whether in close relationships, the workplace, political polarization, or relationships between ethnic groups. Conflicts may be the source of much frustration, despair, anger, and burnout, and for those engaged in spiritual or psychological work, they may be a major challenge. How do we deal with friction in my job or relationship or should we leave? How do we respond to injustice? How do we communicate with those with different political views? How do we reduce the tendency to automatic reactivity?

In this day retreat, we will suggest some core principles and practices for working with conflict and reactivity, including dharma tools used by Stephen Fulder over many years of work on the front lines of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We will be guided by a vision of non-dual “conflict transformation,” rooted in the Buddha’s Middle Way and the contemporary work of peacemakers. A starting point is seeing conflict as simply a difference, tension, or contradiction between goals, intentions, or values, which may or may not be connected with hostility and aggression. Our hope is that we can better approach conflicts as opportunities for learning, reconciliation, steadiness, trust, and compassion. During the day, there will be guided meditations, short talks, discussion, interactive exercises, and work with conflict scenarios.

Stephen Fulder will teach only on Saturday; Donald Rothberg will teach both days.

Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Health care professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients. Continuing Education (CE) credit available. See below for attendance requirements and more information.

Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
Based on the content of this program, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate to clients a conflict transformation model to clarify the dynamics of repetitive conflicts;
• Describe how mindfulness of conflictual dynamics is key to working skillfully with conflicts;
• Describe how skill in working with difficult emotions such as fear and anger is key to skill in transforming conflicts;
• Describe how compassion practices may be used when working with challenging people or situations;
• Describe how working through attachments to one’s views is key to the skillful work with conflicts;
• Describe how conflicts can be opportunities for learning and transformation;
• Describe how conflicts can helpfully be defined in terms of differences of intentions, goals, and values, rather than necessarily involving hostility or aggression;
• Describe some of the reasons why conflicts are hard for many people.

Continuing Education content level: Introductory