|
Thomas H. Smith, Ph.D. 1336 Northridge Court\ Boulder, Colorado 80304 |
tel 303/444-0181
e-mail Be sure to put the word "mediation" in the subject line of email. |
Overview
In Brief:
Types of Disputes: Family disputes, interpersonal problems, couples in conflict, parent-adolescent, senior parent-adult children, legal disputes, family business, divorce, post-divorce, children out of wedlock, grand/step parent conflicts.
Areas of Experience: Child rearing, child development, parenting time, parenting plans, responsibilities and decision-making, young children and adolescents, custody, removal, support, health, property division, real estate, pension issues, handling anger, communication skills.
Background: Ph.D. Psychology. Private practice as mediator since 1991. Six years at the University of Colorado, Boulder, doing related research. Working with squabbling parents and families since 1987. Advanced Practitioner Member, Association for Conflict Resolution (formerly Academy of Family Mediators).
Fees: $125/hr mediation, $155/hr mediation-arbitration or parenting coordinator; reduced fee possible..
More Detail:
Mediation
addresses the needs and interests behind a dispute and helps people find
worthwhile solutions. What people like most about mediation is that it's relatively
quick, inexpensive, and keeps them in control of the decisions affecting their
lives. Tom's best work has been
with people who are barely able to listen to each other at
first, but who learn to find common ground and negotiate solutions that work.
"I
use techniques which restore functional communications between quarreling
parties so that they can work toward mutual decisions.
I build these techniques into the mediation process in such a way that
participants quickly begin to use them. As
we develop a written agreement, even people who have fought for years learn how
to resolve issues and clear the way for future cooperation."
"Sometimes
people ask me if it's really worth it to build cooperation with someone you're
severing ties with. My
answer comes from all the divorced parents I've worked with whose children are
thriving. It's how to foster healthy dialog and prepare the ground for
good parenting -- the ease with which kids relate to both parents and how readily parental
challenges are handled."
BACKGROUND and EXPERIENCE:
Researcher and counselor in a military prison, psychiatric hospital and youth services programs; conflict resolution research at the Institute of Behavioral Science; university instructor in social psychology, creative thinking and family therapy. I migrated from psychology and business consulting into the mediation field after having been a single parent and experiencing the positive results of mediation.
EDUCATION:
Ph.D. Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 1973.
Mediation Training, CDR Associates, 1991.
Practitioner Training, NLP Comprehensive, 1992.
Masters Training, DBM/NLP, Sensory Systems Training, 1998
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS and SPECIALTIES:
Mediation of divorce, and post-divorce issues.
Writing and modifying Separation Agreements.
Working with attorneys to de-escalate conflict.
Teaching communications skills to support good parenting.
How to get ready for the mediation or negotiation process.
Mediation/Arbitration and acting as Parenting Coordinator.
Inter-generational dispute resolution.
Metaphor and cognitive modeling.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS and ACTIVITIES:
Advanced Practitioner member, Association for Conflict Resolution (formerly AFM).
Guidelines member, Colorado Council of Mediators and Mediation Organizations (CCMO).
Boulder Interdisciplinary Committee on Child Custody (IDC) (past member).
Team member, City of Boulder Community Mediation Service.
Former board member, the Parenting Place.
Mediation training coach for Colorado Schools Mediation Project
Core mediator, Child Protection Mediation Demonstration Project