Story of Me

Bio:

Brian Harbert is a Court Approved General Civil Mediator, fully prepared to undertake any case under that wide umbrella in a facilitative style. With personal work experience in manufacturing, retail, food service, & telecommunications; he is familiar with high stress work. With educational experience in political science and extracurricular involvement in philosophy and law, he is also well-versed in dealing with highly adversarial environments and abrasive personalities.

Story of me:

When I was young I developed a habit of thinking of everything in terms of “correct or incorrect”. While I did not see the world in black and white per se, I did see it in terms of right and wrong.

In High School I joined Mock Trial, an extra curricular group where teams of students compete as the plaintiff vs. the defense in a simulated trial. During my tenure at Marysville High School in central Ohio I proved to be a formidable opponent in the courtroom, and our team was very successful. While it remains a source of fond memories, it contributed to somewhat of an adversarial worldview.

I chose Political Science as my major at Bowling Green State University. At the time I believed the subject to be my passion, a field in which a side was chosen and fought for. I relished the idea of being able to win over people with facts, logic, wit, or sheer force of will. College was challenging, but it was there I learned some very important lessons outside the classroom. I learned both the nature and measure of feelings. They are not always rational, and they do not have regard for circumstances. They can overwhelm anybody. We are “feeling” beings first, and “thinking” beings second. People must work to engage their problem-solving skills, and sometimes need help avoiding the “But I’m right” attitude that I had when I was younger. By giving you my empathy, attention, and respect; I serve to help my clients get through their problems and make plans for the future.

I graduated from Bowling Green State University in May of 2020, in the throes of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was difficult to find work, but it was hard on me in particular because I no longer knew what I wanted to do. Perhaps it was the time frame in which I got my degree, as it was a period of significant political turmoil in the United States and abroad, but I had soured on politics.

Later that year I discovered Mediation: the process of guiding, facilitating, and communicating without arguing, posturing, or mud slinging. In October of 2020 I began my first mediation training course, and I have loved every second of the process ever since.