Mediation

It often takes just a few hours to resolve a dispute through mediation or a restorative process. Individuals and families can move on with their lives. Organisations, boards and teams can avoid drawn-out conflict that saps morale and productivity.

The approach to reach agreement can be tailored to your needs. It works for one-off disputes, harmful events, or as part of an ongoing remedy.

Reach a mutually-agreed resolution to a dispute

Nip a conflict in the bud, or stop it escalating or spreading

Hold onto, or mend, important relationships

Re-set a team's purpose or connections

Get better at having difficult conversations

Kia ora and hello, I'm Karen Vaughan

I bring a unique background to conflict resolution work. I've had 25+ years in senior roles for education research, governance, ethics and facilitation across the education and health sectors.

My research focus on learning led me to diverse settings – e.g. aged care centres, army barracks, doctors’ consulting rooms, schools, construction sites, engineering firms and prisons – where I interviewed more than 1000 people about their lives and learning. These experiences have taught me a great deal about the way that contexts shape perspectives and relationships.

Currently I work with teams and boards, families and individuals from many different fields and walks of life, providing mediation, restorative practice and conflict coaching. I mediate independently, and for Family Works and the Employee Assistance Resolutions Service at Victoria University of Wellington, where I'm also a consultant, developing restorative engagement schemes and training.

I can help you identify your priorities and make your own decisions in resolving things. And I can help you maximise opportunities to build longer-term skills for engaging constructively with conflict.

Accredited Mediator

Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Provider

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education

Postgraduate Diploma in Business

Cert. Te Reo Māori me ngā Tikanga

Feedback from clients

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Feedback from clients

"Karen intervened courageously to help us resolve a situation that threatened our work on a contract. Staff respected Karen's expertise, her willingness to have hard conversations, and her ability to make each person feel valued. We learned heaps and saved our contract."

General Manager, Non-Profit Organisation

"Individual sessions with Karen helped me verbalise my concerns and understand where we were stuck in turmoil. Karen's group sessions led us to new respect and engagement with each other. We're now doing really well, focused on our purpose and even becoming friends. I would recommend Karen to anyone wanting to unite a team through mediation."

Shelly Warwick, Local Government Councillor

"Karen and I have worked together in conflict coaching, and co-mediating family disputes involving children. Karen has an amazing ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures. She has a wealth of knowledge, and supports people to gain a deeper understanding of issues. Karen listens deeply, asks the right questions, and helps clients be more effective in dealing with conflict. I love working with Karen and have learnt a lot from her."

Sue Hurst, Sue Hurst Family Mediation

"A person at work was affecting my ability to think clearly. Working with Karen was really empowering. I learned to change my approach so I could deal effectively with the other person."

"Amy", conflict coaching client

"As our conference MC, Karen's expertise was clear. She created an atmosphere of warm connection with everyone over three days. Dispute resolvers are a discerning audience when it comes to these skills. Karen had us all in the palm of her hand from the outset."

Alysoun Boyle, Chair, National Mediation Conferences Ltd

"I want to express how much I appreciated the time and input you gave us over the past weeks. You have been an exemplary mediator, knowledgeable and supportive. The process has been incredibly helpful to enable moving forward. I wouldn't hesitate to request to work with you again in the future."

Family Mediation client

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