Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop

This multi-day workshop is our most challenging and immersive workshop yet, designed to refine your skills and prepare you to mediate complex cases with confidence. Available In-Person and Live Online.

Prerequisite: Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop

Why Choose The Stitt Feld Handy Group

With over 30 years of experience, we know that those who connect knowledge, skill, and strategy shape the future. We’ve empowered over 60,000 professionals to excel in mediation, conflict resolution, negotiation, having difficult conversations, coaching, and customer service by equipping them with practical, real-world skills.

Our team of seasoned leaders combine real-world insight with tailored mentorship, helping you see the bigger picture and unlock your full potential. At Stitt Feld Handy Group, we don’t just teach skills, we make it possible for you to achieve meaningful impact.

Course Features

  • Smaller class sizes for personalized interaction with instructors, coaches and fellow participants
  • Practice nine intensive mediation role plays (each participant completes eight) and one video
  • work one-on-one with an instructor on a specific challenge, skill, or topic of your choice
  • Sit in on a live mediation in Toronto with one of our mediators or via ZOOM
  • Build on skills learned in the Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop to tackle new and intricate issues
  • Gain essential skills through hands-on role plays with live, objective feedback from experienced coaches
  • Choose the learning format that works best for you: Instructor-Led Online or Live In-Person sessions
  • Enjoy a supportive environment at our in-person sessions with a continental breakfast, catered lunch, and refreshments throughout the day
  • Earn a Certificate of Completion from the Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University

Why Take the Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop

  • Master diverse mediation styles, including facilitative, evaluative and transformative approaches
  • Utilize pre-mediation caucuses to maximize success
  • Guide parties on bridging the gap to help them find a win-win solution
  • Gain confidence in mediating sensitive scenarios such as workplace harassment, emotionally-triggered people, multi-party disputes, positional parties and other challenges
  • Equip yourself with tools to handle ethical challenges that may arise in mediation
  • Reduce the need for external mediators by broadening your team’s ability to manage disputes internally
  • Enhance staff’s skills to facilitate difficult meetings and reach a consensus
  • Improve productivity and morale by fostering a culture of proactive conflict resolution
  • Avoid costly litigation and arbitration

Upcoming Sessions

Graduates receive a certificate of completion from Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University.

 

Course Times
Online sessions: Day 1 (8:30 – 4:30 Eastern Time), Day 2-6 (8:30 – 12:30 Eastern Time)
In-person sessions: All 4 days (8:30 – 4:30 Eastern Time)

Apr 7 – 15, 2025

Live Online

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Nov 4 – 7, 2025

Toronto, ON, Canada

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It all came together for me in this workshop. The theory from the first and second courses was great, and in this program, I developed the “art” of mediating and the confidence I needed to move forward.
Connie E. Clark | HR Executive | TD Bank | Toronto, ON, Canada
These more advanced cases presented a challenge for me that I needed. Throughout the course I was given suggestions on how to approach my problem areas using my particular mediation style. Excellent course.
Tammy Sheppard | Office Services Supervisor | City of St. John’s | City of St. John’s, NL, Canada
The techniques are applicable to resolving real-life/personal issues – an invaluable tool for dispute resolution to which everyone should be exposed. Instructors are well-equipped and supply concrete examples to help clarify any issues that may not be understood. Their responses are clear and accompanied by examples to aid understanding.
Wynda F. Chandler | Labour Relations | National Gas Company of Trinidad & Tobago Limited | Couva, Trinidad & Tobago
Great transition from in-person to online! I am always impressed at how much work goes into organizing these workshops, and it was just as good online as it has been in-person. Thanks for all your hard work to put these together rather than just waiting for everything to go back to in person! It more than met my expectations. Everything ran like clockwork (as it always does in person). Technical problems were anticipated, and I really appreciated the pre-meeting Zoom training session. The instructors do a fantastic job of balancing discussion with providing the content, and making the virtual workshops engaging and informative.
Sarah Albo | HR | Novel | Toronto, ON, Canada

Synopsis


The Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop offers the most rigorous and comprehensive mediation training we provide, designed for professionals ready to elevate their skills and mediate complex cases. Through eight advanced role plays, you’ll address challenging scenarios like pre-mediation caucusing, managing multi-party disputes, handling positional stances and navigating ethical dilemmas.

In addition to advanced mediation skills, this workshop includes a mentoring session where you’ll work one-on-one with an instructor on a personal or professional challenge of your choice. With personalized guidance, you’ll explore new approaches and develop an action plan for applying these strategies in real-world situations. After the workshop, you’ll have the rare opportunity to observe a live mediation in Toronto or via ZOOM, gaining firsthand experience and insights into professional mediation practices.

Syllabus


  • Handling parties who withhold or misrepresent critical facts
  • Mediating with lawyers and unrepresented parties
  • Resolving complex issues
  • Applying evaluative and facilitative mediation techniques
  • Conducting shuttle mediation
  • Using pre-mediation caucuses to set the stage for successful outcomes
  • Mediating purely financial cases
  • Working with and refining draft agreements
  • Navigating ethical challenges, harassment, racism, intense emotions, and entrenched histories
  • Dealing with highly positional or unreasonable parties
  • Managing confidentiality concerns
  • Guiding parties to achieve closure

During your mentoring session, you’ll apply the skills developed in our workshops to tackle a real issue—whether personal or work-related. Choose to work on a skill you’d like to refine, strategize on a challenging scenario or practice responding effectively to difficult behaviors. Under an instructor’s supervision, you’ll explore innovative approaches, receive constructive feedback and observe demonstrations of effective techniques. You’ll leave with an action plan of new strategies tailored to your unique situation.

A recording of your mentoring session is available at your discretion, allowing you to review and gain additional insights from the experience.

Skills you may wish to work on in the mentoring session include:

  1. Remaining composed in emotionally charged situations
  2. Expressing emotions constructively
  3. Being assertive without damaging relationships
  4. Mediating unrepresented or unreasonable parties
  5. Addressing ethical challenges specific to mediators
  6. Strengthening relationships during negotiation
  7. Speaking clearly to promote understanding and active listening
  8. Enhancing inquiry and listening skills
  9. Developing your mediation approach and style
  10. Managing multi-party community mediation issues

After completing the course, you’ll have the unique opportunity to sit in on a live mediation in Toronto or via ZOOM, gaining practical insights into advanced mediation practices.

Lead Instructors


Elinor F. Whitmore
Vice President, B.A., LL.B., LL.M., C. Med
Jason Stitt
JD, B.A.
Justine Moritz
BSW, RSW, ECCM

Online vs. In Person


Learn your way. Whether online or in person, each option offers unique benefits. In-person provides a dynamic environment where you can interact directly with facilitators and fellow participants, while online training offers a highly engaging course from the convenience of your home.

Both our Online and In-person training offer:

  • Smaller class sizes for more interaction with facilitators
  • Breakout sessions for collaborative learning with peers
  • Access to videos and handouts for continued growth beyond the course
  • Live, coached feedback during role plays to refine your skills
  • Engaging, interactive sessions with real-world negotiation scenarios

Who Should Attend


The Applied Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop is designed for people who want to enhance their ability to resolve disputes in their workplace or as professional mediators.

The Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop is a prerequisite for the Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution Workshop.

Accreditations


This course has been pre-approved by the following organizations, among others.

Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA)

This program has been approved for CPD hours under Section A of the CPD Log of the HRPA. Visit our accreditations page for details.

Law Society of Ontario

The Stitt Feld Handy Group has been approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the Law Society of Ontario. Visit our accreditations page for details.

HR Certification Institute

This workshop has been pre-approved toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

SHRM Recertification Provider

This program is valid for PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. Visit our accreditations page for details.


A complete list can be found on our Accreditations page.

 

Applying learned skills in the real world

 

Smaller classes

 

In-person learning

 

Live online learning

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