Maine Association of Mediators upcoming events

MAM Conflict Resolution Day (October 15, 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Conflict Resolution Day

October 15, 2026

12:00 - 1:30 pm

All are invited to this Free MAM Community Event

How Big is the Tent?

Exploring the History and Evolution of “ADR”

in Maine and Beyond

In a field of various disciplines and multiple entry points, it’s easy to get lost in the terminology alone, much less the acronyms, abbreviations, permutations, and surrounding legal framework. This free event, hosted in celebration of Conflict Resolution Day, attempts to explain and simplify, while exploring the landscape of “alternative dispute resolution” from its origins to the present. Special attention will be paid to expanding interest in restorative justice processes among MAM members and MAM’s interest in serving a growing variety of dispute resolution service providers, facilitators, and consensus builders.

Facilitated by Jay Wilgus, J.D., M.D.R. We welcome your wisdom and your curiosity to the conversation and hope to see you there!

Please email Mary with questions: administrator@mainemediators.org

Visit our website for other upcoming MAM events.

~ Maine Association of Mediators ~

External Professional Development Opportunity (October 21, 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

External Professional Development Opportunity

40-Hour Basic Mediation Training

hosted by Maine Agricultural Mediation Program MAMP

October 2026

Session #1: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026
Session #2: Thursday, October 22, 2026
Session #3: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
Session #4 Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026
Session #5 Friday, Oct. 30, 2026

Session Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (one hour for lunch)

For more information visit:

https://extension.umaine.edu/agriculture/agricultural-mediation/training/#40-hour

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This information is being shared as part of MAM's ongoing commitment to making members aware of external professional development opportunities that may be of interest.

Please visit our website for upcoming MAM events.

~ Maine Association of Mediators ~

Save the Date - MAM Annual Conference and Meeting (November 20, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

MAM Conference

& Annual Meeting

Exploring the Origins, Uses, and Modalities

of Restorative Justice in Maine and Beyond

Date: Friday, November 20, 2026

Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: In-Person (LOCATION TBD)

Registration: Registration will open soon. Watch your inbox for updated announcements.

CLEs and CEUs Pending

Description: As a method of addressing conflict and harm, restorative practices have grown in popularity over recent years in various settings, including schools, workplaces, families, courts, municipalities, and beyond. This year’s annual conference for the Maine Association of Mediators invites members, non-members, students, RJ practitioners, educators, lawyers, and others to learn more about restorative practices from Dr. David Karp - a nationally recognized leader in the field who has written extensively on the subject and who leads the Center for Restorative Justice at the University of San Diego. Dr. Karp will join us remotely for this in-person gathering and we will be joined by members of the Maine RJ (MERJ) Coalition, including representatives from the MECASA Restorative Practices Pilot, Downeast Restorative Justice, and the Maine Department of Corrections. We welcome your presence, your wisdom, and your questions as we promote shared learning and peacebuilding.

Morning Keynote Presenter: David Karp

Restorative Approaches to Conflict and Harm

David Karp is Professor of Leadership and Director of the Center for Restorative Justice in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. His current scholarship focuses on restorative justice in community and educational settings. For his work on campus restorative justice, he was the recipient of the 2019 Leadership and Innovation Award from the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice and the 2011 Donald D. Gehring Award from the Associationfor Student Conduct Administration. David has published more than 100 academic papers and six books, including The Little Book of Restorative Justice for Colleges and Universities, Wounds That Do Not Bind: Victim-Based Perspectives on the Death Penalty and The Community Justice Ideal. David is co-principal investigator for the National Center on Restorative Justice. He has previously served as Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of Sociology at Skidmore College. David received a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington.

Afternoon Panel Presentation: Restorative Justice in Maine: What Should MAM Members Know about Current Efforts, Providers, and Organizational Structures?

Panelists: Sarah Mattox, Leslie Ross, Stephanie O’Reilly

Schedule:

9:00 - 9:45 - MAM Membership Annual Meeting All Welcome. If you are not attending the conference but would like to attend the meeting, please contact Mary administrator@mainemediators.org

9:45 - 10:15 Reception and Coffee

10:15 - 10:30 Opening Remarks

10:30 - 12:00 Keynote - David Karp

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch and Networking

1:00 - 2:30 Restorative Justice in Maine Panel

2:30 - 2:45 Break

2:45 - 3:30 Discussion: How can MAM support RJ implementation efforts in Maine and/or RJ practitioners?

3:30 - 4:00 Closing Circle

The Maine Association of Mediators is delighted to present this in-person event and hope to see you there. Please visit our website for updates.

https://www.mainemediators.org/

Contact our administrator Mary with questions at:

administrator@mainemediators.org

Save the Date - Domestic Violence Training for Mediators (December 07, 2026)

Mon, 07 Dec 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Domestic Abuse & IPV Screening

Training for Mediators

CLE’s Pending

The Maine Association of Mediators (MAM) is offering Domestic Abuse & IPV Screening for Mediators, a course designed to help meet the requirements to apply to the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Services (CADRES) roster and assist all mediators with this essential skill. This course is designed to meet the eight (8) hour CADRES roster training requirement for domestic abuse, including intimate partner violence (IPV) and coercive control screening.

This training was developed by longtime CADRES mediator Brenda Mitchell who dedicated her career to giving a voice to victims of abuse through training and advocacy. Erin Clough, Karen Groat, and Terri DeCoster are pleased to continue the tradition of hosting this training annually in collaboration with MAM. The training will also include a presentation by attorney’s from Pine Tree Legal Assistance.

Through this course, mediators will learn how to:

Define Domestic Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and forms of coercive control, understand their effects on communication, and practice methods of screening.
Screen for a history or pattern of domestic abuse/IPV in the relationship.
Develop strategies for mediating when there is a history of domestic abuse.
Develop a safety plan for before, during, and after the mediation session.

When: December 7, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

with 1.5 Hours of Training Materials and Pre-work

Location: Zoom

(Your zoom invite will be emailed to you before the event)

Registration Information:

Participants will receive training materials and a certificate of attendance.

Cost:

$175.00 for Non-MAM Members

$150.00 for MAM Members

$50.00 Refresher Fee

(For anyone who has previously taken the 8 hour training.)

Trainers:

Erin Clough, Esq. holds a B.A. in psychology from Emory University and a J.D. from the Boston College School of Law. Erin is an assistant Attorney General in the Child Protection Division of the Maine Office of the Attorney General where she represents the Department of Health and Human Services in child welfare cases. Erin has been an attorney for over 20 years and a mediator for 10. Prior to joining the AG’s office in 2022, Erin worked in various capacities to help families navigate crises in a child-focused way. She served on the court rosters for family matters, small claims, and forcible entry and detainer (evictions); mediated for families privately; and served as a guardian ad litem representing children in child protection cases, family matters, and guardianship cases. Erin and Karen worked closely together in a community mediation setting with a goal of making mediation more accessible to more families statewide. Erin has a particular interest in domestic violence and the impact that it has on children and families.

Terri DeCoster, MS is a mediator, co-parent educator, and divorce, co-parenting, and stepparent coach with more than 20 years of experience working with individuals and families navigating separation, divorce, and changing family relationships.She helps clients communicate more effectively, clarify what matters most, and make informed decisions for themselves and their families. Central to her work is keeping the experience of the child present in adult conversations and helping parents consider how family changes and decisions may be experienced by their children. She also has specialized training in high-conflict divorce and co-parenting.Terri is a founding member and longtime facilitator at the Kids First Center and serves on the Maine court roster for family matters. She also mediates through the UMA Mediation Program and Maine Agricultural Mediation Program. Terri works primarily by Zoom and has an office in Yarmouth, Maine. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology.

Karen Groat has enjoyed over 25 years of mediation, consulting, and teaching and currently is adjunct faculty at University of Maine @ Augusta in Justice Studies. As former director of two Family Mediation programs, she worked extensively with mediators, families, communities and organizations specializing in complex family matters and workplace disputes. An experienced Transformative practitioner and conflict coach, Karen combines research from neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and relational practice to assist families as they navigate the many life transitions often exacerbated by loss or grief. In 2018, she expanded work in collaboration with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for farmer well-being to include Farm Coaching and agricultural mediation (MAMP) addressing issues impacting Maine’s agriculture and rural communities and farm succession planning.

Questions?

Contact Karen Groat at karen.groat@maine.edu

or Mary at administrator@mainemediators.org