Veterinary practice managers will find several strategies that can be applied to decrease/diffuse the emotional upheaval and distress that can occur among doctor, staff, and clients. The session incorporates listening, appreciating, and acknowledging perspectives and perceptions while building a bridge toward solutions that will work for all.
Topics include:
- Maintaining boundaries by encouraging listening over speaking
- The importance of getting it right over being right
- Finding the balance between doing it yourself knowing when to hire a third party
- Learning to de-escalate potential conflicts to improve the practice's overall well-being.
Case examples will be used. Discussions will focus on how things could have been addressed earlier/differently by the practice team to diffuse the conflicts and resolve it without litigation and license complaints and participants will learn strategies that can be applied in the workplace. Language cues and ‘go to’ phrases will be shared to help you nip conflict in the bud.
Original Recording:
Thursday, February 18, 2021
2:45 PM-4:15 PM EST
Debra spent 30 years as a practicing litigator, but she is now a full-time mediator and conflict coach for people in disputes over animals.
She works both nationwide and internationally. She has far-reaching experience in resolving interpersonal conflicts involving animals, and she is also well-known in the world of purebred dogs as a top breeder and exhibitor of Irish setters and long-haired dachshunds.
Debra speaks widely on the topic of how mediation techniques can help people address conflicts without litigation. She has presented at veterinary schools, the American Kennel Club, the American Veterinary Medical Law Association, the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators, the Living With Animals conference, state bar association Animal Law Committee meetings, and animal interest group meetings.
Debra also writes a blog for Hamilton Law and Mediation and has been a featured writer for Solo Practice University blog and the Canine Chronicle. She has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, and the New York Times, just to name a few.
As the principal at Hamilton Law and Mediation, PLLC—the nation’s first solo mediation practice dedicated to helping people resolve conflicts over animals—Debra uses alternative dispute resolution to help address disagreements over the family pet during divorce, neighbors’ arguments over a barking dog, and confrontations between clients and veterinarians and other professionals who work with animals. HLM also looks forward to helping animal rights and welfare advocates see the benefit of having a conversation about the best interests of all parties—especially the animals—to resolve animal-related disputes.
Debra is admitted to practice law in all New York State courts. She is certified as a mediator and collaborative professional and has worked with various court-based mediation programs in New York City (Queens-Community Mediation Service) and in Westchester and Rockland Counties in New York (Westchester and Rockland Mediation Centers). Debra is also an AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) Certified Workplace Wellbeing Expert.
