Community Peace Center of Central Washington

03/11/2026

They happen with skill.

The Community Peace Center’s Professional Mediation Training is designed for people who want to build those skills!

This 40-hour hybrid training combines guided online learning during the week with in-person Friday sessions focused on practice, coaching, and real-world application. Participants learn the foundations of facilitative mediation and how to:

• slow down tense conversations
• listen and reflect beyond positions
• surface underlying interests and needs
• guide people toward their own workable solutions

Registration for our Spring cohort is now open.
Learn more and register here: www.cpcocw.org/training/

02/28/2026

You can feel it when the meeting ends.

No one raised their voice or slammed a door. However, people pack up quickly. Two coworkers who used to chat avoid eye contact. Later that afternoon, a "polite" email goes out. Yet, it feels like something is going on under the surface.
Someone copies HR “just to keep everyone in the loop.”

Sound familiar?

Most conflict doesn’t explode.
It erodes.

It can show up as silence that wasn’t there before, sarcasm that passes as humor, side conversations after a group conversation, and emails drafted, reread, and rewritten three times.

And slowly, trust erodes.

What if someone in that room knew how to slow it down, to name what’s actually happening without blame, to create structure when things feel tense, and guide the conversation toward clarity instead of escalation?

Registration for our spring Professional Mediation Training is open! If you’re ready to build mediation skills, the kind that help you facilitate structured, solution-focused conversations, sign up here: https://cpcocw.org/training/

02/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1AMAxuwQgf/

⚖️ Today is World Day of Social Justice. While it sounds like a big, international concept, social justice starts right here at home in the Kittitas County.

In a small, semi-rural county like ours, social justice means ensuring that everyone—from our seasonal workers to our longtime residents—has a fair shot at a good life. It’s about building a community where your zip code or your job doesn't determine your access to basic dignity.

What does Social Justice look like in Kittitas County?
Housing for All: Ensuring our teachers, service workers, and young families can actually afford to live in the towns where they work.

Healthcare Access: Supporting our rural clinics so that "care" isn't a two-hour drive away.

Worker Dignity: Advocating for fair wages and safe conditions for the people who power our local economy.

Environmental Equity: Protecting our water and land for future generations of Kittitas County residents.

Social justice isn’t just a slogan; it’s the work of making sure no one in our county is left behind. When we lift the floor for the most vulnerable among us, we build a sturdier foundation for everyone.

Let’s keep working toward a Kittitas County that works for everyone.

02/05/2026

Feeling the love this ! 💛 Thank you Yakima Valley Community Foundation for celebrating peacebuilding, mediation, and violence prevention in our community!

Yakima Valley Community Foundation shows up for our region by investing in the people and programs that make Yakima Valley stronger, safer, and more connected. Thank you for your unwavering commitment! Yakima Valley Community Foundation

This we’re recognizing the Community Peace Center of Central Washington for empowering community members with mediation, restorative justice, and youth programs like Walk About Yakima. By helping people resolve conflict, build stronger relationships, and prevent violence, they make our community safer and more just.

Thank you, Community Peace Center, for your steady work toward peace and understanding.

02/04/2026

10/22/2025

When you share observations without evaluation, people can hear you rather than hearing blame.

“You’re a bad neighbor”
transforms into
“I noticed that your music was audible after 11pm on Tuesday and it was difficult for my kids to get to sleep. Can we talk about establishing quiet hours after 10pm on school nights?”
---------------------------------------------------------
"You never help with the kids' bedtime.”
transforms into
“I noticed bedtime ran past 9 last night and I handled bath time, pajamas, and story time. Can we work together to come up with a plan to share bedtime tasks so we both get some decompression time in the evening?"

Your turn
Write one sentence that starts with “I noticed…” and ends with a clear ask.

10/16/2025

In honor of Conflict Resolution Day, let's step toward one another by identifying shared values.

Values like respect, honesty, stability, autonomy, cooperation, and belonging are the north stars that guide choices when the path is messy. Start a tough conversation by naming what you both care about.

Try this mini-practice:

1. Ask, “What matters most to you about this?”

2. Reflect back the values you heard behind the answer. “It sounds like consistency and respect are important. Did I get that right?”

3. Write one line that includes your shared values: “We both care about ___ and ___.”

4. Pressure-test ideas against your shared values. Check-in throughout the conversation to make sure you realign to those shared values.

We are here to help with tough conversations. Get in touch with the CPC today!

10/07/2025

Need to have a tough conversation? Reach out. We can help!

10/01/2025

October is Conflict Resolution Month. All month we’re sharing simple tools to help folks listen well, speak clearly, and find next steps together. Join us in cultivating peaceful communities.

09/12/2025

Ready to sharpen your communication and conflict resolution skills?

Our Professional Mediation Training is back this fall in a new hybrid format combining self-paced online learning with hands-on, in-person instruction and skill-building in facilitative mediation. Whether you’re leading a team, working with clients, navigating family dynamics, staying active in the community, or simply looking to strengthen everyday communication, this training gives you practical tools you can use right away.

Dates: October 1-24
Location: Online and the Community Peace Center office
Learn more & register: www.cpcocw.org/training
Registration Deadline: September 20

Join us and be part of cultivating peaceful communities here in Central Washington. ✨

09/03/2025

🌿 Join our team in cultivating peaceful communities!
Program Support Coordinator

The Program Support Coordinator (PSC) helps keep our mediation and training programs thriving, while also managing administrative tasks and supporting CPC program goals. The PSC also assists with small claims court mediations and translation for monolingual Spanish-speaking clients and provides guidance and advice to CPC leadership on linguistic and cultural norms for the CPC’s regional Spanish-speaking population.

We’re seeking someone bilingual (English/Spanish), organized, and eager to join in collaborative peacebuilding in our community!

Visit www.cpcocw.org/about-us/ for the full position description and application instructions.