Law enforcement, crisis/hostage negotiators, and other police personnel use highly effective communication and de-escalation techniques to help calm people in situations that are tending toward violence and harm.  In the conflict resolution field, parties can become very emotional, and anger can quickly get out of control.  During this presentation, participants will learn, and practice, specific skills that can easily be incorporated into one’s conflict management practice.

Crisis/hostage negotiator Jeff Thompson will discuss how crisis negotiators have de-escalated tense situations, demonstrated empathy, built rapport and trust, and successfully influenced others.  A better understanding of how to defuse highly emotional situations will help the participants become more sophisticated in resolving conflict situations.

Speaker: Jeff Thompson, PhD, Mediator, Conflict Resolution & Crisis Communication Specialist