The Power of Circles: A Guide to Building Peaceful, Just, and Productive Communities--One Circle at a Time

Communication is the key to all successful human interactions. In light of the expanding use of texting and other forms of electronic communication, we risk losing the personal, face-to-face meetings that have been the mainstay of positive relationships between individuals and groups for thousands of years. Lavery shows how the circle process is a powerful tool for overcoming this worrisome situation, as it offers a way to enhance communications, build and rebuild relationships, and improve problem-solving capabilities within families, neighborhoods, schools, corporations, and civic organizations. Narratives by participants in the Community Circles program attest to the capacity of people and groups to work together to resolve contentious issues, especially when they are provided with a safe place in which to tell their stories and be listened to by others--without judgment. The circle process has been used successfully for thousands of years in indigenous cultures. With the help of the insights in this book, we now have the opportunity to use circles today to resolve many of the challenging issues that confront our society. The Power of Circles is a valuable guide for the journey ahead.

Norman G. Lavery incorporated Common Quest Mediation in 1993 as a way to help people resolve their problems--without enduring costly battles. He learned about the Circle process in 1999, and formed the non-profit Community Circles program in 2002. Norm's compelling goal is to guide people to interact more effectively, using the Circle process. Norm has a doctorate in geology, has taught skiing for forty years, loves hiking and canoeing, and builds one-of-a-kind wooden furniture and art pieces.

Dr. Mark Umbreit is the founding Director of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking at the University of Minnesota, School of Social Work. He also serves on the faculty of the Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee and on the faculty of the Center for Spirituality and Healing in the U. of Minn. Academic Health Center. He has served as a Fellow of the International Centre for Healing and the Law in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dr. Umbreit is an internationally recognized practitioner and scholar with more than 35
years of experience as a mediator, trainer, researcher, and author of six books and numerous articles in fields of restorative justice, mediation, and peacemaking. He has conducted training seminars and lectures throughout the world.

As a practitioner, he specializes in facilitating dialogue between family survivors/victims of severe violence, primarily homicide, and the offender. He is the author of Facing Violence: The Path of Restorative Justice & Dialogue, which reports on the first multi-site study of victim/offender mediation and dialogue in crimes of severe violence.