Continuing Education for Mediation Professionals

The BCS Research, Education & Training Institute offers interesting and cutting-edge education to professionals in the fields of mediation and negotiation. We deliver our courses online through SKYPE/other telecommunication, on-ground in your area, and in some cases, through self-study/email.

We deliver a number of our courses in beginning, intermediate, and advanced segments; we will create customized trainings for your business or organization.

Call us to discuss your order. Courses are normally 2 or 4 hours although some may be longer (for example, the train-the-trainer course is currently 8 hours and the basic training a full 50 hours).

Course Catalog

Basic: BMT1 (50 hours)
Basic Mediation Training

This class teaches the basic tenets of mediation processes in family law and business law, communication requirements, needs-based analysis, relation to legal processes, transformation and rights-based paradigms, the difference between… Read more >
Basic: CEM (4 hours)
Containing Emotions in Mediation

This class explores how emotions are often a key ingredient in mediation, how to deal with them (conflict partners and mediators’), and how to utilize them to transform conflict into… Read more >
Basic: DMA1 (4 hours)
How to Draft a Written Mediation Agreement

This course teaches students how to write a mediation agreement and negotiation agreement from start to finish. Learn all the elements, the process, and best practices. (Course includes Divorce with… Read more >
Basic: MP1 (4 hours)
Mediation Process

This class teaches the typical stages of the mediation process from initial client contact through the culmination of the process and follow-up. Whether family law, business law, or organizational transformation,… Read more >
Basic: PPBPPC (4 hours)
Parenting Plans: Basic Parenting Plan onstruction

This course focuses on constructing parenting plans that are good for children, workable for parents, and are able to be interpreted and enforced by the court. This training explores techniques… Read more >
Basic: PHC (4 hours)
Philosophy of Conflict

This class explores some of the ideas of major thinkers on the philosophy of conflict in the western world. This is a good foundation for the development of innovative and… Read more >
Basic: PRM (4 hours)
Professionalization & Regulation of Mediation

This class teaches how to stay abreast of new developments in the professionalization and regulation of mediation practice. Learn the laws and regulations in your state, as well as ways… Read more >
Basic: PAM1 (4 hours)
Psychoanalytic Approach to Mediation

This introductory course explores the mediation transaction from a psychoanalytic perspective, which includes unconscious (or less than conscious) content, and how to use it to explore more interpersonal regions of… Read more >
Basic: TM1 (4 hours)
Transactional (”Deal”) Mediation

This class teaches how to become a neutral third-party who facilitates a successful business transaction between 2 or more parties. Explore valuable negotiation techniques, game theory, communication issues, and best… Read more >
Master: BMP1 (4 hours)
Building a Mediation Practice

This course will help you learn how to jumpstart your own business in mediation, including branding, marketing, professional development, and business administration. Also: BMP2 – (8 hours)
Master: CMO (4 hours)
Conflict Management for Organizations

This course teaches valuable skills for dealing with complex organizational conflicts, which often involve several people. Learn how to analyze several dimensions, including communication, culture, psychological, business, structural, and more,… Read more >
Master: DME1 (4 hours)
Designing the Mediation Environment

This course helps students become aware of environmental factors in the mediation environment, including lighting, furniture arrangement, seating arrangement, color, walk-up, parking, and time of day (Focuses on family, business,… Read more >
Master: FMDV (4 hours)
Family Mediation & Domestic Violence

This class explores family law mediation in the case of domestic violence. Learn about power dynamics, safety concerns, and the modification of mediation processes in this sort of case.
Master: GEM (4 hours)
Gender & Ethnic Issues in Mediation

This course explores gender and ethnic issues in mediation. Learn how the gender of the mediator or conflict partners can affect the dynamics of the process; learn how the ethnicity… Read more >
Master: HCPM (4 hours)
High Conflict Personalities in Mediation

This class teaches valuable information about different types of high conflict personalities in mediation and how to deal with them in a professional and effective way.
Master: IFLM (4 hours)
International Family Law & Mediation

This introductory course explores some of the issues involved in the mediation of international divorce, parenting plans, and relocation. Review the Hague Convention and creatively engage strategies and tactics in… Read more >
Master: GTM1 (4 hours)
Introduction to Game Theory & Mediation

This introductory course explores the game theory mathematics relevant to mediation, especially including the techniques to transform a zero-sum game into a non-zero-sum game—from competition to cooperation. This helps a… Read more >
Master: MCM (4 hours)
Multicultural Communication in Mediation

This course explores the importance of understanding communication in a multicultural environment. We focus on etiquette, display rules, and meta-processing: how you can actively tie communication from different cultures together… Read more >
Master: NVCM1 (2 hours)
Non-Verbal Communication in Mediation

This course explores the science of non-verbal communication in the context of mediation. Learn how to carefully read non-verbal cues (micro-expressions and body posture) with great accuracy as well as… Read more >
Master: PPRS (4 hours)
Parenting Plans: Residential Schedules

This course focuses on creating developmentally appropriate and child centered residential schedules in parenting plans. This training considers both the theoretical underpinnings of child development and attachment theory, as well… Read more >
Master: TTT (8 hours)
Train the Trainer (How to Teach Mediation)

This class explores successful teaching and training techniques in the professional mediation & negotiation context. The class will utilize lecture, Socratic dialogue, role-play, individual and dyadic exercises, and writing as… Read more >
Psychological: AFS1 (4 hours)
Alternative Family Structures 1: Introduction

This class is an introduction to working with family structures that differ significantly from present norms. We will focus on types of structure including polygamous and polyamorous families, families where… Read more >
Psychological: AFS2 (4 hours)
Alternative Family Structures 2: Negotiation and Contracts

This class covers creating agreements with people who are living in alternative family structures. We will focus on the types of agreements that are useful, the process of creating these… Read more >
Psychological: AFS3 (4 hours)
Alternative Family Structures 3: Mediation

This class covers mediation with people who have alternative family structures. We will look at the specific needs when mediating with these families, the use of two or more mediators… Read more >
Psychological: MSA (2 hours)
Mediation and Substance Abuse or Dependence

This class covers specific issues that can arise when the issues of substance abuse or dependence enter the mediation room. Learn the distinctions between social use of substances and abuse… Read more >
Psychological: MAU (4 hours)
Mediation and the Autistic Spectrum

This class covers mediation issues that arise when working with clients who demonstrate traits of autistic spectrum disorders. These clients can be cognitively rigid, finding it hard to think flexibly… Read more >
Psychological: MTS (4 hours)
Mediation and Trauma Related Symptoms

This class covers the recognition and management of trauma related symptoms in the mediation environment. When working with clients who have suffered personal injury, trauma symptoms are very common. Trauma… Read more >
Psychological: MPPRC (4 hours)
Parenting Plans: Reducing Conflict

This course focuses on techniques for reducing post-mediation co-parent conflict and explores both in session mediation techniques for moving parents past whatever is keeping them from making joint decisions in… Read more >
Psychological: STM (4 hours)
Stress Management for Mediators

Mediation work is exciting. It can often be high pressure. Carving a path of co-operation in a high conflict situation takes a lot of emotional energy and concentration. This course… Read more >
Psychological: WWT (4 hours)
Working with Translators

This class teaches essential information about working with translators. We cover key issues relating to having a translator as part of a negotiation or mediation process including choosing the translator,… Read more >