Use of mental health professionals to resolve family and partnership
business disputes and other problems:

I remember reading over the past few years at least two newspaper
articles that discussed how family businesses and law firms used a
psychologist or other mental health professional to help resolve
dispute in the businesses or the firms. I think the family business
problem was one where there was a father who wouldn't give his adult
son any authority or it was a dispute between siblings in a family
business as to how to split authority and the business profits.

I have started a weblog for attorneys, (www.outoftheboxlawyering.com),
and I want to post, as an "out-of-the-box" idea, that lawyers could
recommend the use of mental health professionals to resolve disputes
instead of resolving the disputes with unsatisfactory lengthy and
costly litigation. (Please, no lawyer jokes.)

I know that mediation is now a potential tool, but I suspect that
using psychologists, for instance, could result in a happier and more
lasting resolution of the problems that were underlying the dispute.

Please cite especially to material that can be found on the web. You
can cite printed material, but I am more interested in being able to
refer to items that can be found immediately with a hyperlink.

Hello outoftheboxer1-ga,

I, too, remember reading articles about using mental health
practitioners in resolving disputes in family businesses that
discussed the special personal nature of the conflicts in this type of
organizations. I’ve not only found some articles for you, but in
following the links I also came across a lot of resources directed at
professionals who work with family businesses. After I found the
articles I continued my search by looking up the consultants,
therapists and counselors that were mentioned. Many of their web pages
led to lots of additional articles. I think you will find lots of
interesting ideas and services that might be of interest for your
weblog.

Good luck with your "out-of-the-box" enterprise. I think your audience
will definitely find it helpful and I hope that the resources I’ve
identified will provide you lots of material for future use. Please
ask for clarification if any of this is confusing.

All the best.

czh

============================================
ARTICLES ON COUNSELING FOR FAMILY BUSINESSES
============================================

http://www.business-mediation.com/news_nyt19981122.html
Therapy for the Family Business 
The New York Times -- Money & Business
November 22, 1998
Instead of hiring a consultant or going to a lawyer to draw up a
traditional partnership agreement, though, the three chose a path that
lies somewhere between consulting and therapy: a "partnership charter"
pioneered by David Gage, a clinical psychologist and founder of
Business Mediation Associates in Washington.
According to Gage, a partnership charter is aimed at driving hidden
angers and resentments into the open before they can damage or even
destroy a business. It is essentially a new way to address an old
problem: staving off the sorts of disputes over money and power that
have been the undoing of many family enterprises.

http://www.business-mediation.com/news_wp19980707.html
It's All Relative -- And Sometimes That's the Problem
The Washington Post, Business
July 7, 1999 
Family Run Businesses are Seeking Out Mediators to Help Separate
Personal and Professional Issues
Have a problem with a boss? All you have to do is set up a meeting and
hash it out, or--worst case scenario--get the resume together and
start looking for a job. Easily solved, right? Not when the boss is
your mom.

http://www.business-mediation.com/articles.html
Business Mediation Associates
Extensive list of articles from a variety of business publications.

http://www.counseling.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6943
Reprinted from the July 1998 Counseling Today
Creating opportunities: Counseling family businesses
"The family that plays together, stays together," as the saying goes.
Unfortunately, families who work together don't necessarily benefit
from the same cohesiveness, as many counselors who specialize in
assisting family businesses are finding out.
There are approximately 14 million family-owned businesses in the
U.S., ranging from "Mom and Pop" operations to Fortune 500 firms. Yet
despite their impressive numbers, this type of enterprise has a poor
survival rate. Some falter for reasons that are purely
business-related, but many others fall victim to turmoil caused by
family friction.
This has created a lucrative niche for a small, but growing, group of
mental health professionals who are able not only to help families
develop healthier relationships, but also assist them in maximizing
the success of their business.

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/news/coladvice/jaffe/jf981230.htm
12.30.98  -- Counseling for Families in Business: A Priceless
Investment
Clashes are inevitable, so line up advisers before relationships hit
the rocks
Families own the vast majority of businesses in the U.S. Now, I don't
normally gossip, but I'm going to let you in on a secret about them:
Many seek counseling from specialists in family-business problems. Why
is this a secret? Because the same business owners who have no trouble
divulging their reliance on an army of pros -- CPAs, attorneys,
graphic designers, and so on -- are often reluctant to admit that they
seek advice on family issues.

http://shss.nova.edu/faculty/pcole/images/Famrelatefinal.pdf
Understanding Family Business Relationships: Preserving the Family in
the Business
The Family Journal, October 2000
Family therapists and other mental health professionals are providing
an increasing amount of consultation and therapy for family
businesses. This emerging client base of business families provides a
fascinating area for investigation, especially the study of family
relationships. As individuals struggle to balance their interactions
on both the business and family fronts, they often need help in
managing these relationships. This article presents the results of a
qualitative study on business families and what they have to say about
juggling family and business. The main focus of the article is two
part: presenting a summary of the research study, and applying the
findings to clinical practice.
***** This is a 29-page paper and it includes an extensive
bibliography covering the topic of therapists working with family
businesses.

================================================
FAMILY BUSINESS COUNSELORS, THERAPISTS, ADVISORS
================================================

http://www.aspenfamilybusiness.com/group.asp
Aspen Family Business Group
Five of the world's leading authorities on family businesses: David
Bork, Leslie Dashew, M.S.W., Dennis T. Jaffe, Ph.D., Sam H. Lane,
Ph.D., and Joe Paul, M.S., who work independently for clients and
collaborate when it is in our client's best interest. Our counsel is
prompt and practical, which our clients find especially advantageous.
For information about each of us, click on our names.

http://216.239.57.100/search?q=cache:lmk9yY4WlyQJ:www.sba.uconn.edu/FamilyBusiness/Alan%2520Lovins%2520Bio.htm+%22Alan+Lovins+%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Alan H. Lovins, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with
twenty-five years experience in counseling families, businesses and
individuals. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University,
master’s in theology from New York Theological Seminary and doctorate
in clinical psychology from Columbia University. In addition to his
private practice, he has been an associate clinical professor at Yale
University, and has served as clinical director of the Jewish Family
Service of New Haven. He is founder of the Family Business Counseling
Center and is currently clinical director of the Adolescent and Family
Counseling Center in Cheshire, Connecticut and docent in the
Department of Psychology at Yale University. He has worked with many
family-owned businesses throughout the state of Connecticut.
Family Business Counseling Center
309 Edwards St
New Haven, CT 06511
203-787-3367

http://www.isenbergs.com/aboutus.html
Isenberg & Associates
Raye and Shelly Isenberg are licensed and board certified diplomates
in clinical social work with advanced training in family and group
dynamics.
http://www.isenbergs.com/work1.html
Family Business Counseling
We have concentrated on the relationship aspects of the small
family-owned business. Our competence in this area stems from our
years of experience working with couples owning entrepreneurial
businesses together, with varying degrees and types of responsibility,
and family businesses of different generations. As a couple in
business together for 27 years, Raye and Sheldon Isenberg have
benefited personally from such consultation.

http://www.nunberg.org/home.htm
NUNBERG ASSOCIATES
Conflict Resolution, Problem Solving for Family-Run Businesses
Nunberg Associates, mental health clinicians with 30 years of clinical
experience, are business consultants who apply their knowledge and
insight to helping families that are in business together to
successfully manage personal conflicts and problems that interfere
with business operations.

http://sbweb.business.uconn.edu/page.asp?id=1.8.6
University of Connecticut
Family Business Program
Founded in 1995 through the University of Connecticut School of
Business, the Family Business Program is a member-driven organization
made up of business-owning families. We are the place for Connecticut
family businesses to gain insight into problem solving, learn how
other families have solved similar problems, share experiences and
network to discuss the many challenges of family business.
Priscilla Cale, Program Manager 
UConn Family Business Program
2100 Hillside Road, Unit 1041
Storrs, CT 06269-1041
PH: (860) 486-5628
FX: (860) 486-9116
E-Mail: Priscilla.Cale@business.uconn.edu

http://www.kaye.com/km11.html
Kaye & Associates
In contrast to tax-driven or wealth-passing approaches to family
business planning, we are experts in the human side of management and
ownership succession: resolving conflicts, preparing the next
generation and building family teamwork. The firm of Kaye & Associates
consults to owners, family members, and professional advisors of
closely held firms throughout the US and Canada. All our clients work
with the principal of our firm:
Phone: (847) 475-4090
e-mail Ken at ken@kaye.com

http://www.kaye.com/km13.html
Resources for Business Owners and Family Members
Selected articles pertaining to business owners and family members:
How to interview a family business psychologist 
Advice to family peacemakers 
Balancing business and family leadership
Conflict as opportunity for change 
Prisoners of the family business 
Mate selection and the family business 
Ken's review of "Succeeding Generations" by Ivan Lansberg 
NEW! The Process of Trusting

======================================================
ORGANIZATIONS / RESOURCES FOR FAMILY BUSINESS ADVISORS
======================================================

http://www.ffi.org
The Family Firm Institute is an international professional
organization dedicated to assisting family firms by increasing the
interdisciplinary skills and knowledge of family business advisors,
educators, researchers and consultants. …. FFI members are lawyers,
therapists, accountants, management consultants, financial planners,
economists, insurance professionals, sociologists, educators and other
specialists-the entire spectrum of professionals who advise, study or
work in family businesses. Our common interest is in working with and
helping family firms be optimally effective.

http://www.ffi.org/resource/index.cgi?pageid=1
If you are looking for articles, book reviews, case studies in family
business, consultants, speakers, facts & figures, or targeted mailing
lists, please review the options presented in this section.
Mail 
Family Firm Institute 
200 Lincoln Street, #201 
Boston, MA 02111 
Phone 
617-482-3045 
Fax 
617-482-3049 
Email 
Information: ffi@ffi.org 

http://www.familybusinessmagazine.com/
Family Business Publishing Company
Family Business is the magazine written exclusively for the owners and
managers of family companies and the professionals who serve them.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0787901725/qid%3D1055443017/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-7127007-0736044
Working with Family Businesses : A Guide for Professionals
by David Bork (Author), Dennis T. Jaffe (Author), Sam H. Lane
(Author), Leslie Dashew (Author), Quentin G. Heisler (Author)
Editorial Reviews -- Book Description
At least eighty-five percent of all businesses in the United States
are family-owned--with their own special problems, situations, issues,
and family dynamics. This book is a practical guide for all
professional practitioners who service the needs of family businesses.
It provides a basic training manual for all providers--attorneys,
accountants, financial advisors, insurance and health care providers,
therapists, and others--who are specialists in their fields, but are
unfamiliar with the unique psychology and dynamics that often control
and influence family businesses. The authors detail how to deal with
the special circumstances that arise when advising and consulting to
family businesses that can make or break the process of consulting,
advising, and planning.

===============
SEARCH STRATEGY
===============

counseling "family business" owners
mental health   "family business" disputes
Searched for names of advisors/therapists mentioned in the articles

Hello again outoftheboxer1-ga. Thanks for the five stars and tip. I
wish you well with your weblog.
czh