The Gerald Monk Interview - Narrative mediation, anthropology, psychology and the stories we tell.

The vast majority of mediators are familiar with the ways of the traditional problem-solving approach to mediation, but there are other approaches equally, if not more, effective.

In this interview, I delve into the narrative mediation approach and who better to school me on this than one of the pioneers of narrative mediation?

My guest today is a professor in the Department of Counselling and the School of Psychology at San Diego State University and teaches in the Marriage and Family Therapy Programme. He's a practicing marriage and family therapist in California, and a mediator and trainer in collaborative divorce practices and mediation in healthcare.

He's worked as a psychologist and counsellor educator in New Zealand for 15 years prior to moving to the U.S. in 2000, and has a strong interest in promoting constructionist theories in counselling and family systems work.

He's well known for his contributions in developing and expanding the applications of narrative therapy in New Zealand and in North America. His main professional commitment lies in the development and application of narrative mediation.

He's involved in a range of professional domains utilising conflict resolution and mediation approaches, specifically as a consultant to a large healthcare system, a collaborative divorce specialist with Collaborative Family Law Group in San Diego.

He teaches a range of conflict resolution and counselling courses at San Diego State University and conducts overseas study abroad classes for the International Security and Conflict Resolution programme for San Diego State University.

It's a real privilege to welcome Dr. Gerald Monk onto Mediator Academy.