Paul went into the field of dispute resolution with a vision of helping people through challenging times and difficult transitions in their lives. He was first introduced to mediation as part of the settlement process following a 2002 motorcycle accident. So, he has first-hand experience of being a mediator and of being a client.
Paul has worked in the Social Work field for nearly 20 years. He is a former Child Protection Worker, and has been a private practice mediator since 2009. Paul is considered an industry leader in Child Protection Mediation, and has presented internationally on this topic, as well as written a book on the topic. His book, Guide to Child Protection Mediation has also been cited in an effort to implement Child Protection Mediation in Ireland.
Paul facilitates Family Mediations, Child Protection Mediations, and Workplace Mediations. He also assists various individuals and organizations with Conflict Coaching. He is a Neutral (Family) Coach in the Collaborative Family Law Process, holds the designation of Specialist in Openness Adoption, and is trained in completing Voice of the Children Reports (VCR’s).
Paul has extensive experience working with individuals and groups engaged in high conflict and during the dispute resolution process, he uses creative strategies to keep people focused on the needs of everyone involved; especially children. The views of children are very important to Paul and as a result, he prefers a child-inclusive process when working with families.
Paul makes every effort to ensure all cultures and identities are honoured and respected in his processes. This is based on the wants and needs to the people with whom he is working, and not prescribed by him. He has facilitated many mediations with Indigenous families, Indigenous Child Well-Being agencies, and works closely with multiple First Nations Territories.
Paul is a former (volunteer) on-call firefighter, and a current member of After The Call; a critical incident stress management team for First Responders. He has been a member of a minor hockey Executive since 2018, and is also on the roster to conduct investigations on behalf of Hockey Canada. All of these experiences combined have served him well in his dispute resolution and coaching career, as he is able to stay calm while dealing with crisis situations.
For more information, please contact Paul directly.