Conflict & conflict resolution
From dispute back to understanding
Conflicts arise everywhere - sometimes they resolve themselves, but not always. Perhaps you are facing a conflict yourself or are accompanying someone who is stuck. The important thing is: with the right support, new ways of reaching an understanding can be found - through discussions, mediation or counseling.
Signs that support is needed
Not every dispute needs support, but there are clear signs that a conflict requires outside help:
- Persistent disputes without resolution - when conflicts flare up again and again and are never resolved.
- Hardened fronts - when neither side is willing to give in or compromise.
- Strong emotional stress - when anger, sadness or frustration influence everyday life.
- Silence instead of talking - when conflict partners refuse to engage in dialog and no longer talk to each other at all.
- Conflicts with legal consequences - e.g. disputes with landlords, neighbors or during separation and divorce.
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Finding support: Where can I get help?
- Conflict advice centers: They offer support in family, work or neighborhood conflicts and help to develop solutions.
- Mediation centers: Professional mediators mediate between the conflicting parties and help them to find solutions on their own responsibility.
- Family advice centers: These centers help with family conflicts, e.g. in partnerships, separation and divorce or disputes with children and young people.
- Consumer advice centers and tenant associations: They offer help with conflicts with tenants. in partnerships, separation and divorce or disputes with children and young people.
- Consumer advice centers and tenant associations: They offer help with conflicts with landlords, disputes over contracts or disputes with neighbors.
- School social work and youth welfare offices: School social workers or the youth welfare office provide support in the event of conflicts at school or with young people.
Frequently asked questions about conflict & conflict resolution
Conflict counseling offers support from a counselor who works with you to analyze the causes of the conflict and develop solutions. The counselor usually only speaks with one party to the conflict. Mediation is a moderated process in which both parties to the conflict are present. A neutral person (mediator) supports both sides in finding solutions on their own responsibility. Mediation is particularly useful when both sides are interested in finding a solution.
Mediation is useful if the parties to the conflict are willing to sit down together. It is particularly helpful for family conflicts (e.g. separation or inheritance disputes), neighborhood conflicts or workplace disputes. Moderation by a neutral person often makes it possible to soften hardened fronts and find a solution that both sides can live with.
If the other party is not willing to discuss the conflict, you can first contact a counseling center. There you will receive support on how to tackle the conflict without direct talks. One option is to invite the other person to mediation - it often helps if a neutral person explains how mediation works. If the conflict has legal consequences (e.g. disputes with landlords), you can contact tenants' associations or consumer advice centers.
Let us advise you now!
Conflicts are part of life - but they don't have to escalate. Counseling centers, mediation services and social services help to resolve disputes and find joint solutions. Get support.