All Things Conflict

Maria Arpa MBE
  • 4.8 (5)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Who doesn't have conflict in their lives? Whether at work, at home or somewhere out in the world we are all affected by conflict even when it is indirect. The impact of poorly managed conflict can devastate lives. With 30 years’ experience mediating conflict and training peacemakers, Maria has held people’s hearts through everything from workplace hostility, board room battles, belligerent teenagers, separated parents at loggerheads to neighbours at war, street gang rivalries, threats to life and business deals gone wrong. In this podcast Maria lifts the lid on why we fight and how we can resolve conflict and design it out of our lives. Maria’s mission is to reduce unnecessary human suffering through conscious awareness, facilitated dialogue and trauma healing, using her communications tool, the Dialogue Road Map.

  1. 13h ago

    The Billable Hours Lie: How Law Firms Trap Clients and Prevent Real Justice

    In this episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria sits down with Dr. Hussayn Salem, a modern polymath who successfully transitioned from a career in clinical science and stem cell gene therapy into contract law, tech entrepreneurship, and accredited dispute resolution. Hussayn opens up about his remarkable underdog journey growing up on a rough council estate in Leicester, where he faced overt systemic racism—from school careers advisors attempting to steer him into working in a corner shop to professional football scouts explicitly telling him that South Asians "didn't have the right genetics" for the sport. Instead of letting these experiences break him, Hussayn used them as fuel to become a serial tech entrepreneur, academic, and lawyer. Together, they pull back the curtain on the massive structural failures within the legal industry. Hassan introduces Project Olive Branch, his cutting-edge technological infrastructure designed to automate the triage of legal disputes and connect them directly with a database of underutilized, newly accredited mediators. They break down the financial inefficiency of the corporate "billable hour" model and tackle the highly volatile trend of AI-powered law firms, debating whether machine learning can scale true human empathy or if it merely simulates a dangerous, script-based "mock empathy" that detaches justice from the human soul. Key Takeaways Channeling Structural Adversity: Growing up on a rough council estate, Hussayn faced severe systemic barriers early in his life. He shares how he actively chose to use overt racism in academia and professional football as fuel to build his own path as a CEO and a lawyer rather than accepting the limits society tried to enforce on him. The Mediator Bottle-neck: There is a profound structural failure within the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) market. Thousands of incredibly talented, newly accredited, and diverse mediators are being starved of casework because the legal system lacks an organized onboarding and triage pathway to connect them with active disputes. The Trap of Billable Hours: Traditional litigation models create severe financial inefficiencies that frequently dwarf the actual value of a client's problem. Because many traditional solicitors choose to ignore or bypass mediation to safeguard firm revenue, everyday clients end up paying upwards of £30,000 in legal expenses to fight over a basic £5,000 invoice. Project Olive Branch as a Triage Network: Designed by Hussayn, Project Olive Branch is not a direct mediation practice but a data-structuring tech infrastructure play. It utilizes machine learning to act as a digital "triage" system—taking massive volumes of unstructured dispute data, organizing it, contacting the opposing parties, and intelligently matching the case to a neutral, domain-specific mediator database. The Danger of AI "Mock Empathy": While embracing technology as an administrative tool to handle data processing, Hussayn warns against relying on automated online dispute resolution (ODR) to settle complex human issues. AI tools can only simulate a surface-level, script-learned "mock empathy" that entirely misses the unspoken, emotional, and energetic connection required to truly de-escalate human conflict. Key Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction 02:12 – From Stem Cells to Shareholders: Hussayn unusual corporate transition. 06:11 – Overcoming the Council Estate: Defying the limitations set by early careers advice. 08:05 – "Asians Lack the Genetics": The structural racism that halted a professional football career. 10:08 – Choosing to Lead: Turning down traditional corporate management schemes to become a CEO. 11:48 – Moving into Law: Transitioning to contract law and accredited mediation. 14:17 – Adversarial Indoctrination: Why society defaults to fighting instead of communicating. 16:35 – The 900 Rejections: The brutal reality of funding a legal tech startup. 21:20 – The Underutilized Mediator Market: Why qualified ADR talent is being starved of work. 24:58 – Alternative Applications: Teaching real-world mediation skills to prisoners inside Dartmoor Prison. 29:25 – Project Olive Branch: Building a digital data-structuring infrastructure for legal conflicts. 33:05 – The Billable Hours Conflict: Spending £30k to fight over a £5k invoice. 37:52 – Can AI Feel Empathy?: The danger of automated online dispute resolution (ODR) and "mock empathy." 41:10 – The History of Peacemaking: Drawing inspiration from village elders, Quakers, and community roots. 51:12 – If I Had the Keys to the Ministry Of Justice

    1h 6m

  2. Jun 23

    Guarding the Line: Systemic Cracks, Care-Experienced Youth, and Court Modernisation With Sir Max Hill KC

    In this episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria sits down for a deeply insightful conversation with Sir Max Hill KC, former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for England and Wales. With nearly 40 years of experience on both sides of the courtroom, Sir Max offers an unparalleled insider perspective on where our legal system succeeds, where it is cracking under pressure, and what it truly takes to deliver justice. Sir Max reflects on the heavy burden of prosecuting landmark national security cases—ranging from the last Real IRA campaign to Al-Qaeda and the 7/7 London bombings. He shares his nuanced view on the "line" between criminal conduct and civil liberties, detailing why older, simpler common law tools are often superior to modern legislation. The conversation also tackles critical contemporary issues, including the crisis of care-experienced youth falling prey to criminal exploitation, the gridlock of the remand prison population, and the highly debated Court Modernisation Bill. Key Takeaways Simplifying Terror Legislation: Sir Max argues that we often do not need more 21st-century laws; old-fashioned common law offenses like murder or conspiracy to murder are perfectly equipped to prosecute complex modern crimes. Guarding the Gateway for Youth: Criminalising teenagers at 14 or 15 permanently alters their life trajectories. Sir Max highlights the effectiveness of "conditional cautions" to divert young people into supportive pathways rather than clogging the court system. The Disadvantage Gap for Care-Leavers: As Chair of the Drive Forward Foundation, Sir Max advocates for specialised support and higher benefit structures for care-experienced youth, who lack the parental and societal safety nets that insulate others from criminal exploitation. The Crisis of Remand & Delayed Justice: With roughly 20% of the prison population currently sitting on remand, delayed justice frequently amounts to denied justice. Sir Max addresses the critical failure of a system where defendants can wait years in custody only to be acquitted. Defending the Right to a Jury: While acknowledging the need for greater efficiency to clear the post-COVID backlog of 10,000+ Crown Court cases, Sir Max vocally opposes the government's proposal to wholesale remove jury trials for complex fraud or lower-tier offenses. The Single-Budget Tug of War: Handed the "keys to the Ministry of Justice," Sir Max's primary structural fix would be separating the court budget from the prison estate. Currently, skyrocketing prison maintenance costs are starving the courts, leading to leaky infrastructure and stagnating legal aid wages. Key Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Sir Max Hill KC, Former Director of Public Prosecutions. 03:33 – The Burden of Responsibility: Prosecuting the IRA, Al-Qaeda, and the 7/7 Bombings. 06:43 – Defining "The Line": How prosecutors choose whether to charge a suspect. 10:55 – Conditional Cautions: Using out-of-court disposals to tackle recidivism. 15:11 – Levelling the Playing Field: Supporting care-experienced youth with the Drive Forward Foundation. 22:51 – The Backlog Crisis: Brain Leveson’s efficiency reports and the Court Modernisation Bill. 26:22 – Reclassification of Offenses vs. Removing the Fundamental Right to a Jury Trial. 29:20 – Trapped on Remand: The human cost of keeping unconvicted individuals behind bars. 35:08 – Tearing Down Silos: The missing link between the MOJ, Home Office, and Department for Education. 40:05 – The Long Island Amnesty Model: Using community accountability to end open-air drug markets. 44:33 – Austerity in the CPS: Rebuilding a decimated legal headcount and operating budget. 51:12 – The Surprise Question: Sir Max’s radical funding fix for the Ministry of Justice. 55:10 – Closing Thoughts: Why the English legal system is still respected around the world. Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

    59 min
  3. How to Resolve Conflict Properly: Lessons From Restorative Justice

    Jun 17

    How to Resolve Conflict Properly: Lessons From Restorative Justice

    Most conflicts never actually get resolved, they just go quiet until they resurface somewhere else. Philosopher Paul Baker returns for his fourth conversation with host Maria Arpa to unpack his developing theory of systemic win, built around a simple but powerful order: address what's worse before chasing what's better. Drawing on examples from couples therapy, prison work and restorative justice practice, Paul and Maria explore why a neutral third party who cares about the whole system can transform unresolved harm into a genuine foundation for repair, and why avoiding discomfort, including the human need to grieve, only delays the real work. Listeners working in justice, mediation or restorative practice will take away a clearer framework for distinguishing surface-level fixes from root-cause healing, along with practical thinking on how to support both the harmed and the person who caused harm. Tune in for a rich, reflective conversation on what it really takes to complete a conflict rather than just survive it. KEY TAKEAWAYS Address the "worse" before chasing the "better." Paul argues this order matters: skipping straight to positivity without dealing with what's actually wrong just papers over the problem. Recognise that conflict you think is "resolved" often isn't. If it only de-escalated rather than being fully addressed, the unresolved part resurfaces and tangles itself into future disagreements. Bring in a third party who cares about the whole system, not just one side. Mediators, facilitators or restorative justice practitioners who hold the wellbeing of everyone involved can shift a conflict into genuinely new territory. Don't deny people the need to grieve a conflict or fallout. Treating every situation with forced positivity is a form of conflict avoidance that cuts people off from an important emotional process. Remember that people who cause harm need healing too, separate from the people they harmed. Restorative justice practice should include support for the person who caused damage, delivered by someone not directly involved in the harm. QUOTES "We should pay attention, give significant attention, at least to the worse, to make sure that we aren't just... putting a plaster over the top." "If you're not good in the fight, don't make the fight worse." "As long as the conflict has de-escalated a bit, people think, oh, well, that conflict's dealt with. But it's not dealt with." "To avoid or deny the human need for grieving is to cut part of our life off." "When someone or some part of the system has lost, we mustn't punish the rest of the system around them just because they're associated with them." Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

    42 min
  4. Is Jeremy Bamber Innocent? The Innocence campaign sits down to discuss new evidence

    Jun 9

    Is Jeremy Bamber Innocent? The Innocence campaign sits down to discuss new evidence

    What if the one fact that could prove a man's innocence was buried for decades? At 6:09am on the morning of the White House Farm killings, a 999 call was made from inside the house — while Jeremy Bamber stood outside surrounded by armed police. After 41 years in prison, that detail may finally matter. In this episode of All Things Conflict, Maria Arpa is joined by innocence campaigner Phillip Walker and former broadcast journalist and ex-BT 999 operator Michael Watkins to examine the evidence behind one of Britain's most disputed convictions. Together they unpack the phone logs, forensic reports and crime scene interference that, they argue, were never properly presented to the jury — and what the case reveals about a justice system in which the prosecution controls what gets seen. In this episode: Why protesting your innocence can paradoxically lengthen a prison sentence The significance of the 6:09am 999 call and how 1980s telephone tracing worked The hidden 3:26am call log attributed to Neville Bamber How the crime scene — and the bloodstained Bible — was rearranged New forensic findings on the moderator and Sheila Bamber's wounds Why the CCRC and the lack of a UK "Brady rule" make appeals so difficult About Phillip Walker and Michael Watkins: Phillip Walker is a member of the Jeremy Bamber Innocence Campaign, drawn to the case as a member of the public after concluding the prosecution's account was deeply flawed. Michael Watkins is a former BBC and Sky broadcast journalist who worked as a 999 and operator-line telephone exchange operator in the 1980s, and who set out to confirm the conviction but reached the opposite conclusion. Key topics covered: The White House Farm case background The 999 call evidence Hidden phone logs and disclosure failures Crime scene interference Forensic moderator evidence The CCRC and appeal process The role of the jury and the judge If this episode made you think, follow All Things Conflict and leave a review — it helps more people find these conversations. Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

    1h 3m
  5. Breaking the Silence: The Reality of the UK Care System

    Jun 2

    Breaking the Silence: The Reality of the UK Care System

    Growing up in the care system shouldn't mean facing a lifetime of systemic hurdles, yet the narrative for care leavers hasn't changed in decades. This deeply moving conversation dives into the raw realities of childhood trauma, institutional failures, and the exhaustion of constantly fighting rigid systems that prefer scrutiny over support. From navigating residential care unprepared at twelve to surviving abusive relationships and fighting private family courts, this journey exposes the dark side of our social infrastructure. But beyond the statistics and outdated research lies a powerful story of radical resilience. Discover how processing somatic trauma, embracing a 'wounded healer' identity, and building community-led empathy can break cycles of poverty and spark true transformation. It’s time to stop letting the past define the future and finally build spaces where people feel truly seen and truly heard. 5 Key TakeawaysStatic Outcomes: Despite decades passing, the statistical outcomes and negative narratives surrounding care leavers regarding homelessness, justice system involvement, and intergenerational care entry remain stagnant.Systemic Scrutiny over Support: Vulnerable individuals frequently face institutional judgment and intense evaluation from social services rather than compassionate, trauma-informed care.Coercive Control Limitations: Historic family court structures heavily lacked understanding regarding coercive control, leaving domestic abuse victims exposed to drawn-out legal battles.The Prevention Crisis: With thousands of children on the brink of entering care, current public systems focus on costly reactive measures rather than holistic, localized prevention.Somatic Healing: Standard talking therapies often fail to address the root causes of trauma, highlighting the vital necessity of body-focused, creative, and peer-led recovery. 5 Direct Quotes"Since I left the care system, the narratives haven't changed.""The systems can cause additional layers of trauma, and that is certainly what I experienced...""It's just so tiring fighting the systems.""Don't be defined by your past. Believe in yourself and hope—never give up hope.""Empathy is one of the greatest gifts one person can give another."Key Timestamps & Chapters00:00 – Introduction to All Things Conflict & Kerry Moore02:15 – The Reality of Care Leaver Statistics05:42 – Navigating Residential Care and Institutional Trauma08:54 – Surviving Coercive Control and Family Courts18:25 – Under Scrutiny: When Systems Fail Families24:31 – Neurodivergence and Rigid Educational Models27:35 – Truly Seen, Truly Heard: Somatic Healing and Hope Get in Contact with Kerry:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerri-moore-812022223/- Phone: 07957 221 415- Email: TrulySeenTrulyHeard@gmail.com Social Links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠Subscribe for more:All Things Conflict explores the psychology, philosophy, and practice of conflict — from the courtroom to the boardroom to the kitchen table. If this episode made you think differently, subscribe so you never miss a conversation, and leave a review to help others find the show.#ConflictResolution #RestorativeJustice #LeadershipDevelopment #HRLeadership #PunishmentPsychology #AllThingsConflict #CriminalJusticeReform #WorkplaceConflict #HumanConnection #MindfulLeadership #RobinShohet #ConflictManagement

    52 min
  6. The Crime of Punishment: Why Retaliation Fails and Connection Heals With Robin Shohet

    May 26

    The Crime of Punishment: Why Retaliation Fails and Connection Heals With Robin Shohet

    In this thought-provoking episode of All Things Conflict, Maria Arpa welcomes back Robin Shohet, a leading expert on supervision in the helping professions, to explore the deep-seated societal urge to punish. They deconstruct why we are so invested in punitive systems that we know, pragmatically, do not work. The conversation moves from the "short, sharp shock" of the criminal justice system to the personal "urge to punish" in our own relationships. Robin and Maria explore how the addiction to "being right" destroys intimacy and how moving toward a restorative, connected way of living can actually decrease litigation and increase healing. Key Takeaways The Pragmatism of Punishment: Robin argues that punishment is often a "crime" in itself because it fails to correct behavior and ignores the societal contributions to crime. The "Short, Sharp Shock" Trap: Society often chooses dramatic, quick punishments to avoid the depth of emotions and trauma that real justice requires. Honesty vs. Lawsuits: Evidence from the healthcare industry shows that when professionals admit mistakes, suing rates actually go down, proving that people value truth over retaliation. The Addiction to Being Right: The need to be "right" is identified as a major barrier to human connection, as it forces us to label others and protect our separate identities. Criminal Justice as Alienation: Traditional systems are often designed to prevent human connection and transparency, creating a "conveyor belt" that damages the nervous systems of everyone involved. The "All Your Faces" Method: Maria discusses the power of restorative groups where natural justice is found through direct, human dialogue rather than authoritative judgment. Looking in the Mirror: The episode concludes with a call to personal responsibility: choosing how we respond to conflict rather than reacting from our indoctrinated survival instincts. Key Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome back Robin Shohet: Exploring the purpose of punishment. 03:01 – Why do we punish when we know it doesn't work?. 08:22 – The Healthcare Lesson: Why admitting mistakes reduces suing rates. 13:12 – The addiction to "Being Right" and the fear of intimacy. 17:14 – From Hunter-Gatherers to Property: The origins of exclusion. 24:15 – The high cost of adversarial professions on the human soul. 33:03 – All Your Faces: Finding natural justice through dialogue. 37:36 – Final Thought: Choosing our response and looking in the mirror. Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠

    40 min

  7. May 19

    Murder is Not Content: A 16-Year-Old’s Mission to Fix Crime Journalism

    In this extraordinary episode of All Things Conflict, host Maria Arpa meets Abhishek Raj (known by the pseudonym Karma Gray), a 16-year-old criminology researcher and founder of The Crime Ledger. Based in India, Abhishek has been dedicated since the age of 12 to challenging the way crime is consumed as entertainment. The conversation dives deep into the dangers of "irresponsible journalism"—the kind that romanticizes serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy while reducing victims to mere plot devices. Abhishek explains his mission to provide "responsible crime journalism" that informs and creates aware citizens rather than feeding off human misfortune. This is a refreshing look at how the younger generation is demanding more gravity, more facts, and more respect in the true crime space. Key Takeaways Pseudonym and Purpose: Abhishek explains why he uses the name "Karma Gray" and how he started The Crime Ledger at 15 to prove that crime writing can be both captivating and responsible. The Problem with Sensationalism: A critique of how modern media focuses on the psychology and motives of killers at the expense of legal institutions and victim perspectives. The Dahmer Effect: Abhishek recounts how a friend’s sympathy for Jeffrey Dahmer—sparked by a Netflix dramatization—motivated him to provide a factual counterbalance to "titillating" content. Creating "Aware Citizens": Why factual crime reporting is vital for a safer society, helping people recognize patterns of behavior and understand the real legal repercussions of crime. The "Co-Victim" Perspective: A look at the importance of considering the families and communities affected by crime, who are often re-traumatized by sensationalist portrayals. The Future of Crime Ledger: Abhishek’s vision to scale his initiative into a full publication that serves as a credible source for real-time crime information. A Call for Fact-Checking: The wisdom that consumers must take responsibility for seeking better mediums and verifying sensationalized stories against factual information. Key Timestamps 00:00 – Meet Karma Gray: The 16-year-old founder of Crime Ledger. 03:10 – The definition of "Responsible Journalism" and its primary objectives. 06:45 – Ted Bundy and the "Playboy" trap: How media romanticises monsters. 09:20 – The Jeffrey Dahmer discussion: When entertainment leads to sympathising with killers. 14:15 – Educating the public: How recognizing criminal patterns leads to a safer society. 19:30 – The "Co-Victim" experience and the harm of plot-device storytelling. 25:50 – Scaling Crime Ledger: Turning a blog into a credible publication. 30:10 – Closing thoughts: The consumer’s responsibility to fact-check. Karma Gray Links https://www.crimeledger.org/ https://in.linkedin.com/in/karma-gray-5b12423a7 https://www.instagram.com/the_crimeledger/ Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠

    23 min

  8. May 12

    The Bridge to Impact: Transitioning from Corporate Success to Social Value

    In this episode of All Things Conflict - Justice Redesigned, Maria sits down with Andrea Gamson, a "force of nature" in the world of social impact. Andrea is the founder of Social Impact Support and the author of Social Starters, a book dedicated to helping professionals bridge the gap between corporate success and a life of meaning. Andrea shares her personal "12-year DIY career transition," moving from corporate media sales to leading global volunteering programs and sustainability consultancies. They discuss the "icky" feeling of being successful yet unfulfilled, the systemic "wicked problems" that keep our economy imbalanced, and how to use "active hope" to make a sustainable contribution to society without abandoning your existing life. Key Takeaways The Bridge to Purpose: Many professionals feel trapped in senior roles; Andrea acts as the "bridge" to help them translate corporate skills into social value. Marginalized Leadership: Andrea specifically supports "lived experience" founders—those who have experienced social issues firsthand—as they are often the most overlooked by traditional investment. The 6 Ps of Purpose: A look at the six-part framework from Andrea's book, starting with "Self" to understand who you are before deciding where you are going. Regenerative Economics: A discussion on the "Gaia theory" and moving toward a regenerative economy that redresses the imbalances created since the Industrial Revolution. Active Hope over Despair: How to manage the overwhelm of global challenges by finding the "one thing" you can do that is sustainable for you. The Relationship Audit: Based on the principle that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, Andrea explains why auditing your inner circle is vital for career change. Systemic Design: Andrea explores whether our current systems are "broken" or working exactly as they were artfully designed—concluding they are "wicked problems" that require a new generation of thinking. Key Timestamps 00:00 – Meet Andrea Gamson: The force of nature in social impact. 06:26 – The 12-Year DIY Transition: Why charities wouldn't interview a media exec. 12:38 – Regenerative Business: Moving beyond the legacy of the Industrial Revolution. 17:47 – Internal Conflict: Listening to the "truth" within yourself. 20:42 – The Method: 30 assignments and the 6 Ps of Purpose. 23:15 – Wicked Problems: Why our current economic systems are a "higgledy-piggledy mess". 29:17 – The 5-Person Rule: Choosing who to spend time with to accelerate change. Andrea Gamson Links https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andreagamson https://www.instagram.com/andreagamson/ https://socialimpact.support/ Social Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centreforpeacefulsolutions.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.peacefulsolutions.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.workplacehuddle.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ HOST BIO Maria founded the Centre for Peaceful Solutions in response to the fatal shooting of a 7 year old in her neighbourhood. She developed a model of conflict resolution for violent crime using her brainchild, the Dialogue Road Map (DRM).   Over 30 years she has mediated everything from threat to life gang disputes to high stakes business deals gone wrong, Maria empowers people to resolve conflict without reliance on experts. So she trains violent prisoners to be facilitators, leaders to be effective communicators, teenagers to be peer mediators and neighbours to be tenant listeners within their respective communities. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠

    34 min
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4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Who doesn't have conflict in their lives? Whether at work, at home or somewhere out in the world we are all affected by conflict even when it is indirect. The impact of poorly managed conflict can devastate lives. With 30 years’ experience mediating conflict and training peacemakers, Maria has held people’s hearts through everything from workplace hostility, board room battles, belligerent teenagers, separated parents at loggerheads to neighbours at war, street gang rivalries, threats to life and business deals gone wrong. In this podcast Maria lifts the lid on why we fight and how we can resolve conflict and design it out of our lives. Maria’s mission is to reduce unnecessary human suffering through conscious awareness, facilitated dialogue and trauma healing, using her communications tool, the Dialogue Road Map.

Information

  • Creator
    Maria Arpa MBE
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    All Things Conflict

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