Last December, I was on the London Underground when an ad from the Government of Ireland caught my attention: “The Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme is open for applications.”I assumed it was something like a truth-and-reconciliation effort, reaching out to people abroad who had been harmed in the past. But when I began looking into what these institutions actually were—places where unmarried pregnant women were sent to give birth—I realised the story was far darker and far more complex.

Curious, I asked Irish friends, watched Small Things Like These, and then discovered the documentary Stolen. Its director, Margo Harkin, kindly agreed to speak with me—even before I managed to watch the full film, which is available on Amazon Prime (though you may have to dig a bit to find it).

In this episode, I ask Margo why she chose to make a film about the mother-and-baby homes; what she learned from survivors; how the experience shaped the lives of the children born there; and how victims view the government’s compensation scheme. Ultimately, our conversation reveals a deeper tension between modern Ireland and the remnants of an older, entrenched social order.

In this episode of WeCanFindAWay, I sit down with Raheena Lalani Dahya — a mediator based in Canada, and co-author of a recent article on trauma-informed mediation practice. Raheena has been exploring what it means to bring a trauma-informed lens to civil mediation, and why this conversation is becoming increasingly important in the dispute resolution field.

We discuss why mediators are now talking about trauma and how understanding trauma can deepen our insight into human behavior in conflict. Raheena explains how trauma is connected to fear responses and dysregulation, what happens in the brain when people feel unsafe, and how this impacts their capacity to participate fully in mediation.

She introduces key concepts such as the “window of tolerance,” “safety in numbers,” “tend and befriend,” and “name it to tame it,” illustrating how these ideas can help mediators recognize when participants are overwhelmed and create conditions that restore calm and safety. She also discusses this as an ethics issue.

We also talk about the value of drawing from other disciplines — especially neuroscience and psychology — to enrich mediation practice. Whether you’re a mediator, lawyer, conflict resolution professional, or simply curious about how people respond to stress and conflict, this episode offers practical insights into how a trauma-informed approach can help people truly find a way forward.

In this episode of We Can Find a Way, we reflect on a historic turning point: the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in May 2025. The PKK’s decades-long armed struggle against Turkey claimed over 40,000 lives, leaving behind a scarred society now faced with the complex challenges of healing and rebuilding.

To explore what a meaningful peace process might look like—especially when it comes to social cohesion, reintegration of former prisoners, and victims’ rights—I spoke with Tim Chapman, a native of Northern Ireland and a long-time practitioner of restorative justice. Northern Ireland, after all, has become a reference point for conflict resolution worldwide, with peacebuilders studying its transition out of “The Troubles” to learn what worked—and what could have worked better.

In our conversation, Tim shared insights on balancing the difficult trade-offs between amnesty and accountability, and the practical steps needed to rebuild trust in a post-conflict society. We also discussed the emotional and societal complexities of reintegrating those who served prison time for politically motivated violence.

Anlaşabiliriz'in bu bölümünde konuklarım Prof. Dr. Sevtap Yokuş ve Dr. Esra Elmas ile PKK’nın kendini feshetmesi ve silahsızlanma süreci bağlamında gündeme gelmesi beklenen af konusunu ele aldık. Konuklarım, farklı ülke örneklerine değinerek, bu tür afların amaçlarını, “af” olarak adlandırılsın ya da adlandırılmasın bunların ne tür düzenlemeler içerebileceğini değerlendirdi.

Aynı zamanda çatışma mağdurlarının beklentilerinin nasıl karşılanabileceği, uzun süre cezaevinde kalmış kişilerin serbest bırakıldıktan sonra ailelerine ve topluma yeniden entegrasyonları için ne tür hazırlıkların yapılması gerektiği üzerine farklı ülke örneklerini de konuştuk.

In this episode, I spoke with Manal Hamdoun Ghandour, a peacebuilding expert from Lebanon who works with a nonprofit addressing the country’s history of conflict, collective trauma, and efforts toward reconciliation.

She shared what happened after Lebanon’s civil war ended—how the government passed an amnesty law that let perpetrators from all groups to walk free, and what that meant for the families of the thousands whose loved ones disappeared. Manal talked about how families responded to the silence and denial, and how they’ve been fighting for truth, justice, and healing ever since. She explained how AI can be used to commemorate places and people to remember the disappeared, and to support truth-telling and accountability.

Her story speaks directly to state and other violence. It offers a powerful reminder that when the past is buried without justice, it never really disappears—and that communities have ways to resist and remember.

Asylum centers are ripe for conflict. Residents share crowded spaces with those they do not know or speak the same language. Often traumatized and sometimes alone, they try to navigate the asylum process. It is also difficult for the employees to try to assist the residents when they do not understand the structure and the process, let alone ensure compliance. In this picture, an asylum center in Belgium started using restorative practices to decrease incidents, create more connection and increase participation of residents. 

In this episode, my guests were Griet Defruyt who is working in an asylum center in Poelkapelle Belgium and Wim Huyzentruyt, a facilitator and trainer in Ligand, a youth organization explained how the project started; what they achieved and what is next.

In this episode of WeCanFindAWay, I spoke with Georges Salines from France who lost his daughter Lola in the Battaclan terror attack in Paris in 2015. He explained how he got involved with Retissons du Lien, an NGO in Belgium that brought together the families of victims and perpetrators (covered in the second episode of season seven); what reaction he got from friends and family by being in the same group with perpetrator families and what he learned about by being in there.

He was shaken by how different the families turned out to be from the families he imagined of a Jihadist. He discovered how much suffering there have been for both sides through the loss of a child. He also talked about how victims needed voice.

Bolu Kartalkaya’da yaşananlar ertesi mağdur aileleri hızla bir araya geldiler, acılarını paylaştılar. Aynı zamanda adalet arayışı için yargıya yönlendirildiler.

Konuğum Ulaş Karan, mağdurların yargıya yönlendirilmesinin onları yıllar sürecek bir hukuk labirentinin içine sokacağı ve bu sürecin başlı başına insanlık dışı olduğunu ifade etti.

Karan, bunun sadece Türkiye’de değil başka ülkelerde de konunun hukukileşmesine ve dolayısıyla mağdurların beklentilerini karşılamamasına neden olduğunu ayrıntılarıyla açıkladı. Aynı zamanda, mağdurların hukuki taleplere sıkışması yerine başka öneriler de getirdi. Bunların her biriyle ilgili sıkıntı ve imkanları özellikle Türkiye bağlamında anlattı. 

In this episode, I am talking to two persons from Retissons du Lien (Weaving links), a group established in Belgium in response to the terror attacks in Brussels (and Paris). The group brought together unlikely people such as victims of terrorism as well as the attackers’ families who lost their children due to radicalization. Add to this, front line workers in the field and long meetings, events and monitoring of the trials followed.

My guests were Roland Prevot and Olenka Czarnoski who are active in the group. We discussed how the group was established; how the victims and the accuseds' families found each other; the process involved in the meetings; and how the group members evolved in their engagement with the society. They shared their insights and the emotional struggles faced by families; and the importance of creating a safe space for dialogue and healing. We explored the evolution of frontliners' work in the wake of securitization; the challenges of addressing radicalization; as well as how to foster understanding. They emphasized the power of empathy and the necessity of combating societal polarization. This episode is a testament to resilience, hope, and the potential for connection in the face of adversity. 

In this episode, I sat down with Zaza Johnson Elsheikh, a seasoned interfaith mediator, to delve into the complexities of mediation in the context of the Sudanese conflict. Zaza shares her personal journey into interfaith mediation, sparked by an incident of bias and misunderstanding, and explores how her unique background equips her to address interfaith issues. The conversation shifts to the ongoing crisis in Sudan, highlighting the ethnic tensions, resource struggles, and the devastating impact of conflict-related sexual violence. Zaza offers a critical perspective on the recent peace talks in Geneva, emphasizing the challenges posed by mediators with vested interests and the misuse of humanitarian aid as a weapon. The discussion also touches on the psychological impact of shame and humiliation in mediation, drawing parallels with commercial disputes. Zaza advocates for a phased approach to peace and justice, drawing lessons from other geopolitical contexts. The episode concludes with a hopeful vision for peaceful coexistence in conflict zones, inspired by historical examples of tolerance and unity.

In this episode, I spoke with John Ford who has developed a self help app called “The Empathy Set”.  We discussed with him what  it means to be conflict competent; how an app can help people become conflict competent; whether the development of various apps can go beyond self help; and whether everyone can afford them or use them.