About Us
We take our purpose to heart: to uplift our community and support people to address conflict—especialy those who might otherwise miss out on the help.
We launched our mediation project in 2025 to build bridges, particularly in these times of high anxiety and social change. Here is our story on how we came to this connecting work.
The Situation: A New Normal
Across many communities, something unsettling has become the new normal. Division is growing—not because people have suddenly become more extreme, but because the way we live and connect has changed.
Our phones pull at our attention, leaving us scattered and constantly busy. Media streams turn outrage into a business model. We retreat into isolated information bubbles. These bubbles, combined with endless scrolling, reward speed and emotional reaction over patience and understanding.
The result? We feel locked in separateness—whether through personal hurt or simple disregard. And the stress keeps piling up.
TCMP: Answering the Call
Underneath all the noise, most of us still want the same things: safety, dignity, and a chance to be heard. What’s missing is a space—a calm, neutral space—where we can step out of the distraction, speak openly, and rediscover our shared humanity.
That’s what The Community Mediation Project (TCMP) offers. We create spaces that build connection skills and calm nerves. We help people navigate difficult situations with confidence and compassion.
Our Roots and Our Compass
Founders Susan and Jim Berg saw firsthand the rising tension and declining civility in their community. High level snark. Flipping people off. Short fuses. Stuck to phones. Not looking each other in the eye. So they picked up their mediation skills and got to work.
They chose the name “Community Mediation Project” to reflect two key ideas. First, Mediation offers a neutral, supportive presence that helps people get unstuck and work through differences. Second, a Project signifies a purposeful undertaking—something built with intention and care.
Together, these ideas guide TCMP’s mission: to help people address conflict, collaborate more, and worry less.
Our Community Mind Map
With the community, we identified our pivotal opportunities in a Listening Session in 2025.
What clients can experience
Mediation
Mae came to mediation wondering why she was there. So did her in-laws, who now had custody of her children.
“We took care of everything in court,” they said. “There’s nothing more to say.” But there was.
“I’d like to talk for a few minutes,”
Mae began. “I’ve messed up—
I know. I’ve been in and out of
rehab, and you had to take the
kids. I’ve said some mean things.
But I want to rebuild a relationship. I know it will take time, but I want to try. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
The room went quiet. The mediator held the silence, making it safe for everyone to sit with the words. Finally, her father-in-law spoke: “I accept your apology.” Quiet tears followed.
“This is as far as we can go for now,” they each said in their own way. And so they began—taking the first step toward understanding, outside the rigid walls of the judicial system and inside the caring support of a mediated session.
Conflict Skills Training
Ed realized he was ready to practice a newfound skill of reflecting his partner . But she was not ready to engage. So we dug in on rehearsing, skill repetition, and staying calm. We also focused on taking care of yourself when unwinding the tension takes time.
We worked with Ed, like all our conflict skills training participants, to personalize his experience. Ed thoughtfully worked through his challenge, leaving our session with a newfound energy to try again with his partner. Most of all, we talked through applying compassion and keeping yourself centered. One move forward in the right direction.
Community Dialogue
Over thirty people came together to talk about what was important to them in the face of community disconnection and isolation. The vibe in the room was lively, especially as we put our energy on talking about possibilities with, as one participant put it, "like-minded people."
We were planting seeds, without any agendas. Sparking ideas. Another participant spoke of concrete small steps, like uniting his surrounding two-streets. This "start small" framework brought about a sense of promise in the room.
Participants showed patience and openness, as we also discussed concerns about starting and growing something communally, from the ground up. Money? Sustainability? Support? Keeping it real.
Even in the face of these doubts, people offered their talent and time to potential projects. Participants contemplated what it means to dare and experiment together. We’re putting our energy towards what can be. We're on our way to the next step.
What a difference a difference makes.
We envision
a community that keeps getting better at constructive conflict—hearing and getting heard —to make strides towards new possibilities.