Bill Eddy is a director of the High Conflict Institute of San Diego, a lawyer, mediator and social worker.  He has written countless books on how to manage difficult people.

Bill recently was a key note speaker at the Simcoe County Family Law Conference.  Did you know that trauma, domestic abuse, and high conflict not only affect a person’s emotional well- being; repeated exposure to these elements may also physically change a person’s brain.  Since children’s brains are in developing stages, concerns about these effects on children are particularly worrisome.  With the help of a model brain Bill expertly described how the risk of exposure to trauma, abuse, and high conflict, often manifests into mental health issues and/or personality disorders due to chemical changes within the brain.

Bill also compared family systems to a solar system with gravity pulling separating parents into different camps.  He demonstrated how families are susceptible to becoming high conflict during stressful times and when they are participating in an adversarial system like court.  When families become entrenched in protecting their own “family” system, kids often get pulled along from system to system.

If you ever have a chance to hear Bill Eddy speak, you should take the opportunity to do so. Pick up one of his books.  They always give an interesting perspective on how to deal with difficult people.  I have taught with Bill Eddy in Atlanta Georgia and in Seattle in the past and truly admire him and always learn so much from listening to him.

http://www.highconflictinstitute.com/billeddy