Alex Murdaugh, central figure in a high-profile murder case, is discussed in relation to high conflict and mental health disorders. Topics include remorse, empathy, trust, aggression, personality clues, opioid addiction, and patterns of lying and gaining sympathy.

Learn why connection is key in managing high conflict personalities, the impact of brain functions on interactions, the importance of cultural differences in relationships, and strategies for effective communication in intense situations.

Guest co-host Cherolyn Knapp and guest Bob Stenhouse, founder of Verita, discuss high conflict workplace investigations, challenges posed by people with high conflict personalities, building rapport with interviewees, use of BIFF in investigations, DARVO concept, and recommendations for employers to address bullying and harassment.

Journalist and radio host Ilyssa Panitz, THE Divorce Journalist, discusses her divorce radio show, high conflict divorce during the pandemic, similarities between celebrity and regular divorces, listener feedback, and lessons learned. The podcast explores navigating challenges in divorce, the impact on celebrities, and turning hardships into positive messages.

Guest Michael Lomax, an expert in high conflict mediation, discusses 10 paradigm shifts essential for mediating high conflict disputes, focusing on problem-solving and client participation. They highlight the importance of avoiding apologies, guiding parties towards future-oriented solutions, and patience in reaching agreements.

Is it possible to change family law in an entire country? Change that results in improvements for families, and especially for children?In today’s episode, Bill and Megan talk with family law attorney, Michal Fein, of Tel Aviv, Israel, about a law she wrote to address some problematic issues in Israel’s family law system—the Family Disputes Settlement Law. They will discuss:what prompted the change and why it was neededwhat the Family Disputes Settlement Law was intended to dowhether it was met with resistance and were there implementation challengesdata at the two-year and six-year marks—did court applications (filings) increase, decrease or stay the samedid the new law impact domestic violence, alienation, mediation and other divorce-related challengeswhether the pandemic impacted divorce rates in IsraelMichal’s hope for the future of family law in IsraelLinks & Other NotesWEBSITE for MICHAL FEINNews and BlogsARTICLE: How Israel Substantially Reduced Litigation In Family CourtOur website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/Submit a Question for Bill and MeganAll of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.You can also find these show notes at our site as well.Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (02:26) - Meet Michal Fein (05:19) - Question Round (09:38) - Background of Her Law (23:25) - Resistance (25:58) - Implementation (28:05) - Changing Over Time (31:24) - Changes They've Seen (34:26) - Domestic Violence (37:12) - Mediation (38:20) - Affects of Pandemic (40:51) - Hope for Family Law's Future in Israel (43:11) - Wrap Up (44:13) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: Connection in High Conflict Interactions Learn more about our New Ways for Mediation Coaching Sessions. Get started today!

One of the hardest decisions when divorcing a high-conflict spouse is how and when to tell that person that you want a divorce. How will the person react? Will I be in danger? Will my life become a worse hell?In this episode, Megan and Bill discuss this extremely relevant and important topic, starting with a question from a listener. They will discuss:What should you do if your partner doesn’t know yet that you want a divorce? How should you tell that person? How should you prepare?What should you say? Where should you say it?Should you have someone with me?Is it okay to stay at home after delivering the news?What to be aware of going forward.Should the kids be told in advance? Or when do I tell them?Should the kid’s school be notified?Links & Other NotesBOOKSSplitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality DisorderCalming Upset People with EAR: How Statements Showing Empathy, Attention, and Respect Can Quickly Defuse a ConflictAUDIO SERIESHigh Conflict Separation & Divorce Basics: 13-part SeriesON DEMAND COURSES & COACHINGNew Ways for Families Online Class and CoachingConversations About Domestic Violence in Family Law with 16 ExpertsOur website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/Submit a Question for Bill and MeganAll of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.You can also find these show notes at our site as well.Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (02:18) - Telling an HCP You Want a Divorce (04:02) - Start With Preparing (08:32) - So Many Things to Think About (11:06) - What You'll Say and Where (17:29) - Should I Have Someone With Me? (19:03) - Should I Go Home Afterward? (20:22) - Going Forward (22:57) - When to Tell the Children (26:11) - Telling the School (27:44) - Wrapping Up (29:27) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: Family Law in Israel with Guest Michal Fein Learn more about our New Ways for Mediation Coaching Sessions. Get started today!

Sometimes professionals in the legal system get it backwards. It’s frustrating and leaves people feeling helpless. Why can’t the judge see what the other party is doing? Why is my ex’s lawyer painting him/her out to be a hero, convincing everyone in the courtroom that I’m the bad parent?Do professionals get it backwards and believe the wrong person sometimes?Bill and Megan discuss this important topic, including:is this a high conflict issuewhat is a persuasive blamercan persuasive blamers influence the court’s decisionsdo persuasive blamers honestly believe the false statements they make or that they are victimscognitive distortions that lead to persuasive blamingdo they have personality disorderswhy professionals believe persuasive blamers—can professionals get emotionally hookedexamples: domestic violence, alienation, emotionally too intensehow to overcome this in court—what can parents dowhat can professionals doLinks & Other NotesBOOKSHigh Conflict People in Legal DisputesSplitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality DisorderARTICLESFamily Law: 3 Theories of the High-Conflict CaseSix Ways You Should Be Assertive in Family CourtOur website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/Submit a Question for Bill and MeganAll of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.You can also find these show notes at our site as well.Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (02:32) - Family Court – Getting It Backwards (06:30) - Why do HCPs do this? (09:53) - Why are they believed? (13:31) - Examples (17:53) - How to Overcome (19:13) - Three Theories (22:56) - Tips to Help (26:40) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: Telling a High Conflict Spouse You Want a Divorce Learn more about our New Ways for Mediation Coaching Sessions. Get started today!

Personality disorders are mystifying to those unfamiliar with them, and even to some in the mental health profession, although with copious amounts of information online about them these days, everyone acts like an expert and the terminology is bandied about with authority. It’s sticky and fascinating information. Unexplainable behaviors can quickly be explained away as narcissistic personality disorder or other personality disorder types. Once that thought happens, it’s easy to develop confirmation bias, which we talked about in the last episode. But it can be dangerous information, information that must be treated with respect and caution. In this episode, Bill and Megan discuss:Are personality disorders a type of mental illness? What is different about them? How common are they?How do they appear in everyday life? Would I know if someone had one? Examples?What questions should be asked in relation to personality disorder and criminal behavior, including the current tragic case of the Idaho murders?Are all people with personality disorders high conflict people?If I think someone has a personality disorder should I tell them?If I want to explain to a friend or family member what a personality disorder is, what should I say?Links & Other NotesARTICLEThe New Elephant in the Room: Why All Professionals Need to Learn About Personality DisordersBOOKSIt’s All Your FaultIt’s All Your Fault at Work: Managing Narcissists and Other High Conflict PeopleThe Big Book on Borderline Personality DisorderHigh Conflict People in Legal DisputesARTICLESFull list of articles on personality disordershttps://www.highconflictinstitute.com/hci-articles?category=Personality%20DisordersOur website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/Submit a Question for Bill and MeganAll of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.You can also find these show notes at our site as well.Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior. (00:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (01:35) - How to Understand Personality Disorders (03:01) - Are Personality Disorders a Type of Mental Illness? (06:30) - Higher Percentage? (08:36) - A Different Way to Find the Solution (12:00) - Careful Labelling (12:47) - How Would I Know? (15:01) - Idaho Murder Case Example (19:25) - Personality Disorder Does Not Equal HCP (21:41) - Blame and Charm (23:35) - Always There (24:23) - Lack of Self-Awareness (25:54) - Explaining Personality Disorders (29:56) - Last Thoughts (30:43) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: Getting It Backwards in Family Court Learn more about our New Ways for Mediation Coaching Sessions. Get started today!

Have you ever been fooled by someone? Or become passionate about a cause, belief, or opinion that later was proven to be false – and you discovered that the information was there all the time but you hadn’t considered anything outside one point of view? That may have been because of confirmation bias.In today’s episode, Bill and Megan discuss:what confirmation bias is and how it can fool usconfirmation bias in today’s society, such as social media, politics, and othershow it is used in high conflict court caseshow to avoid getting fooled by confirmation bias with allegations of abusehow to avoid getting fooled by a high conflict personLinks & Other NotesBOOKS5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your LifeHigh Conflict People in Legal DisputesOur website: https://www.highconflictinstitute.com/Submit a Question for Bill and MeganAll of our books can be found in our online store or anywhere books are sold, including as e-books.You can also find these show notes at our site as well.Note: We are not diagnosing anyone in our discussions, merely discussing patterns of behavior. (00:00) - Timestamp: 158760000 (01:00) - Welcome to It's All Your Fault (01:36) - Confirmation Bias (03:04) - What Is Confirmation Bias? (05:18) - Vs. Brainwashing (06:52) - Social Media (07:51) - Meta-Analysis (09:41) - Social Worker History (13:44) - Size of the Problem (18:58) - #MeToo Movement (20:18) - When in Cases (24:40) - Resist and Refuse Cases (28:14) - Avoiding Confirmation Bias (30:35) - Avoiding Getting Fooled by HCPs (32:42) - Wrap Up (33:06) - Reminders & Coming Next Week: Explaining Personality Disorders Learn more about our New Ways for Mediation Coaching Sessions. Get started today!