Restorative Practices Toolkit (RTK) Parts 1–3

Aug. 17, 18 & 19 | Interpersonal and Group Restorative Conflict Resolution Skills Training

Join us for one, two or all three days of this immersive skills-based training designed to build participants’ capacity to understand, navigate, and transform personal conflict and foster inclusive, engaged groups. The series progresses from foundational awareness (Day 1) to applied interpersonal skills (Day 2) through structured group restorative facilitation (Day 3).

Participants will leave with practical tools they can immediately apply in classrooms, workplaces, community and even families to strengthen relationships, address conflict constructively, and build more connected group cultures.

Course Content Overview

Day 1: Introduction to Conflict, Communication & Culture (Aug.17 | 7.5 hrs)

Introduces core concepts and interpersonal practices that shape and change how we respond to conflict.

Participants will explore:

• The nature and function of conflict as a potentially healthy part of human interaction

• Communication styles and common sources of social stress, conflict and harm

• How identity, culture, and lived experience shape communication

• The role of unconscious bias and mainstream/margin dynamics in conflict

• Foundations of powerful communication: mindful, empathetic and active listening

Day 2: Facilitating De-escalation & Affective Communication (Aug.18 | 7.5 hrs)

Builds real-time skills for managing tension and engaging conflict constructively, both interpersonally and in groups.

Facilitating De-escalation (3.75 hrs) including:

• Recognizing emotional and behavioral signs of escalation and its nervous system impact

• Techniques and practice to:

  • Reduce intensity and prevent further escalation

  • Support emotional regulation (self and others)

  • Maintain psychological safety in challenging interactions

• Verbal and non-verbal strategies for calming and redirecting conflict

Affective Communication for Healthy Conflict Engagement (3.75 hrs) including:

• Practicing Affective Listening emphasizing observation, empathy and needs (interpersonal)

• Experiencing and practicing formulation of Affective Communication to express feelings, needs and requests without blame (interpersonal)

• Learning to use Affective peer coaching to strengthen our accountability

• Designing an Affective Communication strategy and accountability plan to implement next

Day 3: Basic Restorative Circle Process (Aug.19 | 7.5 hrs)

Introduces Restorative Circles as a structured method to build proactive and inclusive groups of ~4–24 participants to learn and work collaboratively including:

• Experience a multi-stage circle process firsthand

• Learn the core elements of circle process, including:

  • Establishing shared agreements and norms

  • Creating psychologically safe and inclusive space

  • Using a talking piece and structured dialogue practices

• Develop facilitation skills to guide group engagement and participation

• Practice designing your own circle process plan for future implementation including a) goals, b) questions, and c) preparation

• Consider special adaptations for circles in:

  • Classrooms

  • Workplace teams

  • Community groups

You will leave Part 3 with your own circle prompts and facilitation plan to proactively foster connection, engagement, and inclusion in your own group settings.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this three-day course, you will:

• Recognize how your own personality and stories impact your work with conflict – and your growing edges in that work

• Adapt communication and facilitation to make more inclusive choices in conflict and harm situations

• Implement more impactful listening to enhance mindfulness, empathy and clarity

• Apply practical de-escalation techniques in high-stress situations

• Use affective communication to improve clarity, empathy, and accountability

• Design basic restorative circles for group engagement and relationship-building

Who Should Attend

This training is ideal for, and has been positively reviewed by:

• Educators and school staff

• Workplace leaders and managers

• Human services professionals

• Congregational leaders

• Community volunteers

• Parents and others in challenging family/household situations

Participation Expectations:

Engagement: This training is highly experiential and interactive. To respect your learning peers and facilitators, participants are asked to set aside prior work commitments for the duration, 8:30am-4:30pm, with ~30 min. for lunch break, usually Noon-12:30.

Homework: Approximately 30 minutes of pre-class homework is expected as part of this course, including taking and reviewing results from a Social Relational Window Assessment. 

Day 1 of this course, Conflict, Communication & Culture, is required for subsequent Advoz trainings including Restorative Toolkit Days 2&3, Basic Mediation, Restorative Justice (Victim Offender) Conferencing, Restorative Circle Process and more. Find more listings at:  https://advoz.org/training. 

Continuing Legal Education (7 CLE hours) is available for PA-registered attorneys on Day 1, Conflict, Communication & Culture, including 2 Ethics and 5 substantive credits for bias, trauma and inclusion strategies with clients and colleagues. Select both your registration and the CLE fee option.

Continuing Education Units (7 CEU hours) are available for licensed social workers and marriage and family therapists for Day 1. Select both your registration and and the CEU fee option.

Volunteering: we have a limited number of seats available for those seeking to volunteer with Advoz. If you are hoping to use these skills primarily as a volunteer with Advoz, use coupon code RTKVOL. To qualify, we ask that you: 1) have an interest, passion and basic skills for being a listening presence with others, 2) be available 3+ hours average/month over the next 1-2 years, 3) apply to become a facilitator/mediator at this link, and 4) live or have recently lived within commute-able distance of Advoz (South Central/Southeastern PA).