ROLE PLAY 1 | CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Characters:

1. Alice (Age: 68) – A retired schoolteacher who values loyalty, stability, and consistency in friendships. She believes true friends are those who are always there for you in times of need, without change. Friendship, to Alice, is about being dependable and maintaining the same connection throughout the years.
2. Barbara (Age: 72) – A former nurse who sees friendship as a dynamic, evolving relationship. She believes friendships should allow for personal growth and emotional change, and that supporting each other’s development is key to a meaningful friendship. Barbara is more open to the idea that friendships can change over time and may not always follow the same path.
3. Lily (Age: 45) – A therapist who moderates the session. Her role is to guide Alice and Barbara through their discussion, helping them understand each other’s points of view and create space for open dialogue.
4. Tom (Age: 50) – A close friend of both Alice and Barbara. Tom often finds himself in the middle of their disagreements, trying to maintain peace but struggling to mediate the differences in their perspectives.

Situation:

During a therapy session, Alice and Barbara get into a disagreement about the meaning of friendship. Alice argues that true friendship is built on loyalty, with friends showing up for each other in times of need, staying consistent and dependable. Barbara, however, believes that friendship should allow for personal growth and emotional flexibility, even if it means that the nature of the relationship may change over time. Tom feels torn between the two, as he values both loyalty and emotional support, but is unsure how to help his friends find common ground. What should the facilitator do to handle this situation?

Questions for guided discussion on ROLE PLAY 1 | CONFLICT MANAGEMENT:

• How can the facilitator balance the role of listening and intervening effectively during a conflict without imposing a solution? What other strategies could have been adopted?  
• What is the role of the facilitator when dealing with a more passive participant, like Tom, who wants to avoid confrontation but feels pressured by the other participants?  
• How can we apply what we learned in this session to future group activities, to ensure that all participants feel heard and understood while managing conflicts?