About Us

Rita and Cathy began working together in 2004 as part of an interdisciplinary training faculty in Collaborative Law Practice. They immediately recognized their mutual passion for teaching skills to advance communication and resolve conflicts.

Based on decades of experience, they developed a philosophy of bringing in-depth learning to professionals who work with all different kinds of clients where conflict is inevitable.

They have a particular expertise in designing and delivering trainings so that participants can really ‘get their arms’ around the material. They take the concepts and theories about conflict resolution and translate them into practical steps that can be immediately applied to collaborative practice cases and other workplace settings.

Whether teaching about collaborative law practice, mediation skills, facilitation or other conflict resolution processes, Cathy and Rita’s expertise and experience make them international leaders in their field.

  • Rita Pollak and Cathy Heenan

    "The training was wonderful. Both of you created an atmosphere of loving compassion, forgiveness and authenticity to the process of your teaching.”

    Psychologist, Chicago

    "The combination of learning and doing made this the best training. Cathy and Rita were easy to listen too, shared practical tips from their own experiences and inspired me to start working this way. I am not used to giving an 'A' but I learned so much from you. After this training, I am even more convinced of the interdisciplinary way of working together."

    Attorney, the Netherlands