Jessie Kushner

Collective Voices provides a structured approach to both healing and to interrupting cycles of misunderstanding, conflict, and even violence by seeking to understand the underlying issues. My methods begin with building relationships and trust. Together, we uncover what lies at the root of the dynamics.

Collective Voices offers an innovative approach: limited engagement, an objective facilitator, and tools and resources to help maintain open, honest, and assertive communication.

I use facilitated dialogue to address tension-filled and emotionally-charged topics as a step on the path towards restored relationships with self and/or others. Dialogue is a guided approach to healing and restorative action. Conflict and harm are often protected by silence, and silence is a protector of many forms of abuse, violence, and relational dynamics that hamper people’s ability to overcome challenges, sustain wellness, and be effective (and productive) in a workplace, community, and/or family setting. My work is grounded in a restorative framework.

Many communities and individuals are deeply affected by systemic and generational cycles of conflict, violence, and harm that shock one’s sense of self, security, and connection with others. During facilitated dialogue, each person’s narrative, story, and perspective is essential to finding a path forward and restoring one’s sense of safety, security and justice.

​My work focuses on reconnecting, repairing, and rebuilding a using a restorative approach. Services can be anywhere from 2 hours to 5 days to ongoing – it all depends on what is needed.

I offer the options of facilitation, direct care services and/or trainings and consulting.

All trainings and consulting includes an in-depth study of two different frameworks and the impacts of both on one’s relationships and interactions (a framework being the attitude, lens, and value system one inhabits that guides one’s interactions, conflict, repair, and communication.)

Dominant framework = Built on systems of colonization and oppression. One voice, one harm, one point of view. Blame the circumstances/other people. People lack the skills and clarity on how to identify their needs and take initiate to get them met. Belief that there is a right/wrong in every situation.

Restorative framework = Grounded in the question “how am I impacting others?”… (positively and negatively.) Accountability for one’s feelings and needs. All voices/perspectives are valid and deserve to be heard. Explanations are not excuses. The overall desire and courage to seek mutual understand and practice respect – even when serious conflict exists. 

​Restorative practices can still include agreements and retribution. What is essential to the process  (and is the difference between a bandaid approach or sustained peace) is the dialogue that takes place to allow for all perspective and needs to be heard.

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict and violence. Collective Voices breaks down assumptions that accompany the word “peace” and in real time, uses a model and teaches tools to allow for dialogue.

Restorative practices are aimed at promoting peace rather than deepening harm, allowing for silence, or promoting violence. Restorative practices build the capacity within people to identify and solve their own problems. In short, restorative services have been found to be more effective and successful for resolving conflicts and interupting violence than their counterparts.