MiKK Spring Webinars 2025
Tuesday, 08th · Thursday, 10th · Friday, 11th · April 2025
Workshop 1:
Tuesday, 08th April 2025
15:00 – 18:00 CET/Berlin
The Mediators’ AI Toolkit
Practical Uses and Ethical Considerations
with Dr. Blanka Illés & Dr. Zolán Németh
Workshop Description
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping the landscape of mediation, offering opportunities for enhanced efficiency, creativity, and informed decision-making. However, the integration of AI into mediation also raises ethical and legal questions, calling for mediators to approach its use with care and accountability.
This workshop is designed to provide mediators and legal professionals with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to harness the potential of AI ethically and effectively within their practice.
This interactive workshop will explore and discuss the following questions:
✔ How can mediators practically integrate AI before, during, and after the mediation process?
✔What ethical considerations, including bias, confidentiality, and accountability, must be addressed when incorporating AI into mediation?
✔Under what circumstances can AI tools enhance mediator-client interactions without undermining the human-centric nature of mediation?
✔What strategies can mediators employ to adapt AI’s capabilities to unique, high-stakes, or emotionally charged cases, particularly in the complex landscape of cross-border family mediation?
The workshop will involve theoretical input, interactive exercises focusing on practical applications of AI in family mediation cases and structured discussions informed by participants’ experiences. Activities will include analyzing a real-world cross-border family mediation scenario, generating effective AI prompts, and exploring hybrid models of human mediator and AI collaboration.
By combining insights into AI technology with core mediation principles, this workshop aims to deepen participants’ understanding of the possibility of utilizing AI in dispute resolution. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how AI might be applied in mediation and ideas for exploring further its integration into their practice.
International Family Mediator & Lawyer
Webinar Trainers
Dr. Blanka Illés
Dr Blanka Illés is Marketing Executive and Project Officer of MiKK e.V. International Mediation Centre for Family Conflict and Child Abduction. Her journey in the field of international family law disputes has been diverse. In 2001, she earned her cum laude certificate in legal studies from Eötvös Loránd University’s Faculty of Law in Budapest, Hungary. She began her career working with the esteemed organization Mayer & Co. Law Firm as an attorney. In 2005, she ventured into private practice, establishing her own legal firm with a primary focus on assisting clients in international family law and inheritance matters. She has enhanced her expertise by learning mediation and alternative dispute resolutions at ESSEC Business School in France, training as a mediator at the Central European Mediation Institute, and undergoing training as a Cross-border Family Mediator at MiKK. She has been actively involved in various leadership roles within the legal community, served as the President of the Pan-European Jurist Union’s Family Law Division, followed by her tenure as the representative of Family Law Europe, she has had the honour of serving as the Vice President of the Central European Mediation Institute, in 2021, she became a founding partner of AdvoAlliance Group, and in 2024 she founded MediAIte™, an innovative AI-powered cross-border family mediation service. Her commitment to the field extends to sharing knowledge and insights. She has authored numerous legal publications and has been a frequent lecturer at family law conferences. She was a regular guest on television news programs and gave interviews to newspapers. She has been called upon to act as an expert witness on Hungarian family law issues in courts in the UK and USA. In recognition of her contributions, she was named one of Hungary’s top 100 lawyers in 2016. Contact: drillesblanka@gmail.com
Legal Expert & Mediator, Specialist in EU & AI Law PhD, Researcher,
President of CEMI – Mediation Institute
Dr. Zoltán Németh
Dr. Zoltán Németh is a legal expert, mediator, and specialist in EU law and AI law, with extensive experience in conflict resolution, private international law, international family law, the functioning of EU law, and the legal and ethical aspects of artificial intelligence. He is currently conducting PhD research on the relationship between mediation and AI. He is the founding president of the Central European Mediation Institute and the founder of the AI Group Hungary community.
For seven years, he led the Central Authority of Hungary for International Parental Child Abduction under the Hague Convention, where he played a key role in cross-border family law matters and international child abduction cases.
Holding multiple LL.M. degrees, his expertise extends to contract negotiations, regulatory compliance, and strategic planning. Throughout his career, he has gained in-depth knowledge of both Hungarian and international legal environments and has represented Hungary on multiple occasions at various UN and EU institutions and working groups. Contact: kemi.mediacio@gmail.com https://www.kemi.hu
Workshop 2:
Thursday, 10th April 2025
13:00 – 16:00 CET/Berlin
Visualisation:
A Powerful Tool for Successful International Mediations
with Alice Canet
Workshop Description
„Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results“ according to Albert Einstein (or Rita Mae Brown). When words have been used again and again in a conflict, using other, creative, maybe even disruptive methods can work like a charm.
So visualisation represents a powerful tool to successfully mediate international, cross-border family conflicts – whether in presence, online or hybrid.
Mediation is foremost about understanding. Both in fact, understanding oneself and understanding the other person. And international mediations carry specific challenges: parents come from different cultural backgrounds and tend to have different mother-tongues.
Visualisation can help structure and support the verbal clarifications that take place during a mediation. More than that, it facilitates going beyond the language and diving deep into the inner core of the problem and helps to unlock answers of how parents really want to have the dispute amicably solved, through using other elements than words.
In this interactive and practice-oriented workshop, international lawyer and family mediator Alice Canet will present her insights from her own practice of many years on how to creatively help international families to solve their parenting problems and children disputes.
A first, short part of the workshop will provide an overview about what visualisation is and the scientific explanations as to why it works.
In the next step the workshop will focus on practical aspects and the application of what has been learned. Alice will use real-life case examples which she has mediated and present visualisation technics she has used, going through each stage of the mediation process. There will be a wide range of methods presented, ranging from basic visualisation methods (written sentences on a paper board or a shared screen), to more creative and maybe unexpected tools and methods (such as sunglasses, a “magic wand”, keys, drawings and much more).
The workshop is highly interactive and will equip participants with directly actionable tips, so that mediators attending this workshop will feel capable of using the shown technics in their actual mediation practice.
Atypical Lawyer & Mediator 🇫🇷🇩🇪🇬🇧 | Promoting Peace in International Families – Divorce & Separation | International & Franco-German – Trainer
Webinar Trainer
Alice Canet
Alice Canet is an atypical French lawyer, mediator and trainer, dedicating her work to bringing peace in international and especially French-German families. She first experienced family mediation during her studies of international law in Berlin and ever since she has been convinced of the advantages and well-being that mediation can bring to families.
Since then Alice has followed many different mediation trainings, including a 200-hour-training at the VWA (Verwaltungs- und Wirtschafts-Akademie e.V) in Freiburg (Germany) at the same time as her legal studies to become a French solicitor (“avocate”). Alice completed a number of other different trainings in France and Germany, such as with the European Conflict Management Network (REGC, France) and the Cross-border Family (CBFM) Mediation Training with MiKK (in Berlin).
She has herself provided mediation trainings in different contexts such as a trainer for a full intercultural mediation training (150 hours) for the REGC, trainer for French solicitors with the Strasbourg Bar, for French mediators with the Institute for Amicable Justice, trainer for German mediators with Three-Border-Regional Group of the German Federation of Mediation, trainer in the international conference “immediate”. Alice also published a contribution entitled “Mediation in international child abduction: an opportunity to develop” in: “Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the European legal context: development prospects and sectoral applications, 1st edition 2024”, published by Larcier-Intersentia. She also shares a wealth of content on her YouTube channel and on LinkedIn.
Alice regards mediation as an opportunity to transform a conflict into a chance to work towards healing, not only with the other party, but also within oneself. She sees creativity and visualisation on the backdrop of legal information as ways of fostering empowerment and intercultural understanding.
As a French mother to two French-German children living in Strasbourg, she has first-hand experience of the reality, challenges as well as of the beauty of an international family.
Workshop 3:
Friday, 11th April 2025
17:00 – 20:00 CET/Berlin
Mindfulness and Compassion in Cross Border Mediation
with Birgitte Beelen
Workshop Description
Quite some of you will have heard about mindfulness and of ‘being present in the moment’. Several ways of being mindful exist, such as receptive or reactive mindfulness and I would like to elaborate on these approaches and explore them interactively with you in this webinar. How to integrate ‘being present’ in the mediation process, especially of major importance in the high conflict cases that we might encounter in Cross Border Mediation.
Another, deepening and important, aspect of mindfulness is treating the self and others with compassion; being kind to yourself and others exhibiting an attitude of real presence and real listening.
Example? You’ve experienced something and want to share it, but the other person isn’t really listening as caught up in his or her own thoughts; they hear but are not truly present. This is not experienced as a compassionate, meaningful interaction. You probably do recognize this in yourself, that you listen but ‘aren’t really there’; that you are rushed, or already thinking about the next step, etc.
Another example. Someone feels lost, or as we often experience in our profession, feels powerless or angry. Perceiving that is compassion. Often, we don’t recognize suffering, we’re not truly present, we’re distracted, our attention is elsewhere, lost in thought. Although this applies to ourselves, we don’t apply ‘presence’ to ourselves; what do I need? How can I take good care of myself? There’s often a critical tone when ‘talking’ to ourselves.
Compassion, however, manifests itself in gentleness, softness, openness and recognizes what is needed. Compassion thrives – by settling down, experiencing peace and calm – to allowing us to open up more to our environment, to ourselves, and to providing us witha clearer view and understanding of our environment.
In this interactive Webinar we will talk about and will explore the powerful practice of self-compassion. Of course there will be ample opportunity for us to practice and exchange with our own compassionate attitude and discover our Emotion Regulation System, in order to discover in what way they may be helpful or, on the opposite, limit an attitude of kindness.
Whether you’re new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, this session will provide practical tools and techniques to help you reduce stress, enhance focus, and promote emotional well-being.
Atypical Lawyer & Mediator 🇫🇷🇩🇪🇬🇧 | Promoting Peace in International Families – Divorce & Separation | International & Franco-German – Trainer
Webinar Trainer
Drs. Birgitte Beelen
“Have the courage to change what you can change, Have the serenity to accept what you cannot change, Have the wisdom to recognize the difference between the two.“
Francis of Assisi
“And then, the moment has come – even as a care professional – that you feel the need for a gentler, kinder, and more compassionate approach to yourself; and perhaps also to the world surrounding you.
My first coming across Mindfulness and Compassion marked that very moment for me.
The principle of ‘Compassion’ is at the heart of all religious, ethical, and spiritual traditions, calling upon us to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves. This is especially relevant in our quality of mediator and in mediation processes. In essence ‘compassion’ and ‘self-compassion’ are about being open to experiencing those areas in your body where ‘things’ feel tight and uncomfortable, and to approaching them with kindness.
From that perspective, I wanted learn to encounter life with ‘softer eyes’ and experience the integration of such attitude with my dynamic, energetic and ambitious self. Combining the discovery of the power of mindfulness, of (self-)compassion and of kindness with the insight that this is a universal human need, awakened the desire in me of teaching others to experience its beneficial power as well.“
That’s why I wish to share that with you in today’s webinar on Mindfulness and Compassion.
I started my professional career in language education and as a trainer in communication skills.
Thereafter I graduated in organisational psychology and special education theory and completed my post-graduate studies in clinical psychology and child psychology at Groningen University. Following this I became a systemic therapist in Couple and Family Therapy. Adding Mediation to my professional skill set, I then graduated in Médiation Familiale at the Paris X University in Nanterre, France.
Following this, I obtained a position at the Dutch Child Protection Agency and thereafter served as Head of Treatment and Education at a juvenile penitentiary institution and as a Court Expert in psychology for the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague. I then obtained a managerial position in public mental healthcare.
I established my own private practice in the field of Psychology, Mediation, Coaching and Training some 20 years ago in the Netherlands. In this capacity I also engaged in offering training and supervision for a wide range of professionals, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, medical doctors, lawyers, mediators and social workers; I was also a retained as a visiting lecturer in ‘system theory’ for the Family Mediation programme at the Paris X University, France.
Having gained in-depth experience in diagnosing and treating people of all ages as well as considerable experience in mediating high conflict cases and in treatment of psychotrauma (EMDR Practitioner Europe), I was one first mediators in the Netherlands mediating child abduction cases for the Centre of International Child Abduction. I was trained in Cross-border Family Mediation by MiKK as part of the EU TIM project, the predecessor of the MiKK CBFM Training. I subsequently joined the NIM- European Network for Child Abduction and the International MiKK Mediators Network. For MiKK I was invited on a number of occasions to give trainings (i.e. MiKK Ongoing Training, Spring Webinar, AMICABLE conference) on different topics, such as Mindfulness in Mediation and the Voice of the Child in Mediation.
I am frequently asked to speak at lectures and trainings across Europe and I really enjoy to share different cultural perspectives.
Past Webinars
MiKK Spring Webinars 2024
19th · 22nd · 24th · 26th April 2024
Workshop 1: Friday, 19th April 2024
Trauma-informed Mediation
A Webinar for Cross-border Family Mediators
with Konstanze Welz
Workshop Description
As Cross Border Family Mediators, we are very likely to work with traumatized parties. Both the parents and the children have usually just experienced a very difficult separation situation in which everything familiar has broken away and instead uncertainty has come to dominate their lives. In modern trauma research, such an experience is described as “traumatic” because it “overwhelms the nervous system of an individual to cope with an experience” (Bessel van der Kolk, MD).
Neurobiological research over the last 30 years has shown that trauma changes the brain and thus the way a person perceives and reacts to their environment. A distinction is made between different reaction patterns. What all traumatized people have in common, however, is that the nervous system remains in a hypervigilant permanent state. If it is triggered, it reacts at lightning speed – not rationally, but emotionally! This can range from short-term emotional dysregulation to dissociation. The rational thinking part of the brain is “offline” in this state and it is often impossible to calm down the affected person with words. The trauma-informed mediator is prepared for this situation and knows how to deal with it.
Based on the latest neurobiological research, in the first part of this webinar we will look at the effects of trauma on people. We learn how adaptive responses that helped a person to survive at the time of trauma are often maladaptive later in life. We distinguish between adult traumatization and childhood trauma. As the latter often goes hand in hand with attachment trauma, we also look at the consequences of attachment disorders and attachment ruptures in childhood. We look at emotional dysregulation through a trauma-informed lens and understand the mechanisms behind this out-of-control reaction. As a trauma-informed mediator we can learn to develop a compassionate attitude towards trauma survivors and their ways to cope with their trauma.
In the second part of the webinar, we will develop tools with which the trauma-informed mediator can support their clients to feel safe during the mediation session and ensure that they will remain within their “window of tolerance”. But we also develop solutions for situations where a client “loses their cool” and dissociates.
To make thoughtful decisions, parties need to be in the best frame of mind possible. A trauma sensitive and trauma-informed mediator has the knowledge and tools to help his traumatized clients to make the best decisions for themselves.
This webinar is meant to be interactive and I invite all of you to bring in your experiences, both personal and professional.
This webinar requires no prior knowledge of neuro-psychology. All terminology will be explained.
Webinar Trainer
Konstanze Welz
Born into a German – Indian family and brought up in Germany, India, and the US, Konstanze learned to navigate different cultures at an early age.
An interculturalist by birth, building bridges between cultures has always been at the heart of her work. For almost two decades – as a project manager in the German film industry – she was traveling between Germany and Asia to bring together creative and economic forces from these parts of the world.
However, a severe illness with a long road to recovery became a turning point in Konstanze’s life. She left the film industry and subsequently trained to become a transformative mediator, cross border family mediator and trauma recovery coach. She wanted her work to be more personal. Engaging families in conflict allowed her to bring to the work her knowledge about trauma as well as the personal experiences and learnings of her own family’s troubled story across three different continents.
During her recent certification in Traumatic Stress Studies at the Trauma Research Foundation in Boston she studied the latest neurobiological findings in trauma research.
Workshop 2: Monday, 22th April 2024
No Conflict without Grief Or: How to Put the Real Needs on the Agenda
A Webinar for Cross-border Family Mediators
with Veerle Lisbeth
Workshop Description
This webinar will introduce the so called “Grief-Conflict Model”, which represents a specific way of looking at and dealing with conflicts. Grief as well as Conflict are experiences which can both impact our lives profoundly. A great deal is known and has been written about grief and conflict as seperate and very different experiences. Until recently, the inner correlation between these two experiences has never been explored. It has in fact been overlooked as evidenced by the Grief-Conflict Model developed by Marion Uitslag and Tineke Rodenburg, a Dutch research team. Consisting of a mediator and a grief-therapist, the research team developed a model in order to explain the connection between these important events or experiences in every human being’s life. Their research clearly shows that these two events influence each other, concluding that profound grief (loss) almost always leads to conflict.
For family mediators having regard to the grief-aspects in a conflict can help to assist the parties to find better and more sustainable solutions. Exposing the frequently hidden grief of conflictinag parties can assist us in understandig the causes of the conflict. The more we now about the cause of a conflict the easier it is to find solutions.
During this interactive workshop an input session will be given on the working of the brain when it comes to needs and interest. Using a real-life example it will be illustrated how the “HEART Model” can be utilized to help clients see each others needs. The participating family mediators will be invited frequently to give their opinions, ask questions and bring in their own experiences on the topics and short films which will be shown. The participants will have the opportunity for discussion both in plenary as well as in in small groups during a several breakout-room sessions. The Grief-Conflict Model represents a useful tool for family mediators mediating high-conflict cross-border family mediations by helping mediators to facilitate the parents’ moving from positions to needs and interests in the mediation process.
Webinar Trainer
Veerle Lisabeth
Veerle Lisabeth was born, raised and lives in Belgium. She studied Law and was member of the Bar Association for more then 10 years.
Already in her first years at the Bar, she became particularly interested in mediation and after following a systemic approach training, she started her mediation training in 1998 – being one of the first mediatiors in Belgium at that time with a legal background! Veerle left the Bar Association in 2008 to be able to concentrate on conflict-coaching OUTSIDE the classic court related format.
Thereafter, she specialised in diffferent models as self-didact and by following a number of courses in different countriessuch as : Negotiation training at Harvard, USA; “New Authority and NonViolent Approach” at New Authority Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; “Dealing with Shame” at Institut für systemische Impulse, Entwicklung und Führung gmbh, Zürich, Switzerland, “Cross-border Family Mediation in child abduction cases” with MiKK, in Germany and other different trainings in the Netherlands especially about ‘Grief-Conflict‘ and the SCHIP-approach for couples in divorce, derived from the Grief-Conflict Model.
Apart from being a mediator and conflict-coach, Veerle gives courses, trainings and workshops on all kinds of topics related to conflict management to different target groups from collegue-mediators for teachers, authority figures in organisations, students in college and also to parents. In general: to all people wanting to know more about what conflict does to us and how we can handle it avoiding high escalation.
Workshop 3: Wednesday, 24th April 2024
Navigating High-Stakes Waters: Mediating International Parental Child Abduction Cases to Prevent Harm
A Webinar for Cross-border Family Mediators
with Dr. Jorge Guerra González
Workshop Description
In the complex landscape of international child abduction cases, mediation emerges as a crucial tool for preventing harm and restoring balance in the best interest of the child. But how exactly can mediation make a difference?
This interactive workshop explores the intricate and complex topic of mediating cases involving intentional parental bond severance, commonly known as parental alienation in parental child abduction cases. In the context of cross-border parental child abduction, mediation faces unique challenges that demand careful consideration. From navigating high-conflict dynamics to juggling multiple legal systems and strict timelines, the complexities are manifold. Research has also shown that child abduction can impact children’s development negatively in a number of ways.
Join us as we explore key questions surrounding the prevention and handling of child abduction cases through mediation. From understanding the mediator’s role and its limitations to addressing information sharing, cultural nuances, and power imbalances, we’ll dive deep into the heart of the matter.
Through interactive discussions and real-life case studies shared by the trainer and participants alike, we will uncover strategies for effectively managing mediation situations. Role plays will offer participants the opportunity to put theory into practice and to apply the knowledge and insights they have gained.
Webinar Trainer
Dr. Jorge Guerra González
Dr. Jorge Guerra González is highly experienced in the field of family mediation and child advocacy. Since 2013, Jorge has been dedicated to serving as a family mediator and child advocate (guardian-ad-litem) in family courts. His multifaceted approach involves assuming various roles, from contact facilitator to tutor and family court expert, with the overarching objective of enhancing understanding and resolution of family conflicts involving children.
In 2021, Jorge expanded his skill set by obtaining expertise in cross-border mediation in parental child abduction cases by completing the MiKK CBFM training. Equipped with comprehensive training as both a mediator and a guardian-ad-litem, Jorge is adept at navigating the complexities of cross-border disputes. His commitment to professional development led him to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2023, further enriching his understanding of human behaviour and conflict resolution. Fluent in Spanish, his native language, as well as in German, English, and in French, Jorge’s linguistic versatility helps him to bridge cultural divides and effectively communicate across diverse populations. Through his NGO, “INPN,” Jorge extends his reach to Africa and Latin America, serving as a valuable resource in promoting cultural understanding and conflict resolution.
For Jorge, his work is not merely a profession but a continuous journey of knowledge expansion and growth. Jorge is dedicated to developing and implementing strategies that promote the well-being of children and foster harmonious family relationships. Passionate about social justice, Jorge strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of families and children around the world.
Contact Jorge Guerra González: kontakt@jorgeguerra.de
Bonus Workshop 4: Friday, 26th April 2024
What About Me? The Child’s Right to be Heard
A Webinar for Cross-border Family Mediators
with Lisa Parkinson
Workshop Description
The Brussels II Regulation of March 2005 upholds the UN Convention 1989 on the child’s right to be heard on decisions concerning the child, but this recognition does not ensure that the voice of the child will be heard either in court or out of court proceedings, such as mediation. Court-appointed social workers and psychologists do not always have regard to the child’s views and concerns, while parents tend to think that involving their child in mediation would make the child anxious and more aware of problems.
Since 2017, national guidelines, principles and requirements in England and Wales for accredited mediators to have additional training in child-inclusive mediation are resulting in significantly more children and young people having the opportunity to talk with a qualified family mediator. Feedback from children shows that it helps them greatly to talk with a professional they feel able to trust and if they wish, decide a message or suggestion that they ask the mediator to share with their parents or carers. Research studies in the UK and other countries also show that talking with a qualified family mediator benefits children’s mental health and that their messages for their parents and carers facilitate arrangements that take account of children’s views and wishes and work well for all concerned. Even young children who are consulted show more insight and understanding than adults generally expect. The 13th European Forum on the Rights of the Child 2020 ended with these words from the children who participated:
‘We need a strategy that is inclusive of all children and that supports children in vulnerable situations and we need a strategy that supports and promotes our right to participate in decisions that affect us. Because nothing should be decided for children without children. It’s time to normalise child participation.’
Participants in this webinar will be encouraged to share views and raise questions on child-inclusive mediation.
Webinar Trainer
Lisa Parkinson
Lisa Parkinson is an accredited family mediator (now retired from practice) and trainer in the UK, involved in developing mediation since the late 70s with a focus on helping families to manage change, rather than adult-only negotiations.
She is a co-founder and vice-president of the Family Mediators Association, a founder member of World Mediation Forum, (inaugurated Madrid,1995), a member of the Hague Conference Group of Experts on the Guide to Good Practice in International Family Mediation (July 2012) and an honorary member of the Association of Family Mediators of Ukraine. Lisa has given mediation training in countries, including North and South America, the French Antilles, Morocco, Scandinavia, South Africa, Turkey and Kazakhstan.
The 4th edition of her book, Family Mediation, was published in 2020 and her latest book Conversations with Young People in Family Mediation was published in February 2024.