Peace Making

In the context of counselling, peacemaking refers to the process of helping individuals or groups resolve internal or interpersonal conflicts, restore balance, and promote healing. It involves facilitating understanding, empathy, and reconciliation, with the ultimate goal of fostering peace both for the individual and in their relationship/s with others. At Headway Therapy Online, our approach is to work towards enabling all parties to feel heard, and work towards a resolution. ​

 

There are different elements which can contribute to the breakdown of relations and communication. Peacemaking seeks to support each party to recognise any miscommunication and misinformation - factors which often lead individuals to form a negative understanding of the situation, which is then carried, maintained and reinforced in the absence of alternative approaches. Through the peacemaking process, the aim is to restore the communication and to develop skills to optimise future relationships and to develop a better understanding of each other. 

 

We all come from different backgrounds and are different - whether this be gender, race, childhood experiences, culture, trauma and this list goes on. As such, it is natural for differing opinions and ways of understanding situations to be present; which may result in conflict and division. Conflict can impact relationships between parents and children, between spouses, siblings, friends, colleagues, and neighbours. The goal for peacemaking is not to disregard another's opinion or differences, rather to come to a mutually beneficial place. Part of the process involves allowing the individuals to express and explore the elements of the conflict to foster greater insight. The focus then needs to move to exploring the possible solutions. 

 

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