Fractionation is a matter of breaking down the problem into its smallest pieces and then dealing with each piece one at a time.
Framing is a technique where mediators ask neutral or friendly questions that avoid blame or passing judgment and summarize issues.
Reframing is the technique where mediators restate negatively loaded, biased, or accusatory statements made by one of the parties in more neutral terminology or restate positions in a way that makes the disputants look at the issues differently. Finally mediators highlight common ground, which consists of attitudes, values, behaviors, expectations, and goals the parties share and can serve as a basis for an agreement.
I want to give the example of Fragmentation, which my family implemented in our initial chaotic days in the US. I came here in 2007 with my two little kids in an empty house that my husband had rented. Coming from a fully settled house, in a new country with two little kids was a challenge. So we made a prioritised list of to do things in the house. Accordingly first we setup the kitchen and bedroom. We were travelling by bus until we bought a car that is a must for commuting in the US. Then we got our phone and Internet connection on, for accessibility. After that we started looking for nursery and pre-k schools for my kids. To straighten out the house so far took us about 3 months, then we started looking for furniture, and Television. We took about 6 months to completely furnish the house and get all our routine established. Thus we managed to settle our sweet home from scratch, by taking charge of things to be done step by step.
My hat goes off to you for leaving a life somewhere else and starting somewhere new. I have traveled to a few different countries, but I could not imagine living in a place that did not feel comfortable or in a place where I did not know the countries language. In you taking a step by step approach, was very wise so you did not feel overwhelmed. I love being in culturally uncomfortable situations because this is the easiest way to understand other cultures. Valentine’s Day my boyfriend and I went to a Korean restaurant, and it was in a primarily Korean part of town. Everyone around us spoke Korean but it was so much fun. We learn about the food, the norms, and many other things. Good luck to you!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post and the example you gave from a real life situation that you and your family used fractionation. I think that sometimes things can seem so overwhelming if you think of it as a whole. Relocating, especially if you have children, can be a stressful experience. By breaking the large problem into smaller, more manageable pieces helps to see that it is a task that is doable. I often get stressed out when I think of the many things I have to do for all my classes and the future papers that are do and before I know it I am feeling like I can't do it all. Fractionation definitely helps me lower my stress level and keeps me moving along. Thank you for sharing your example with us.