Canadian Center For Applied Insight Conflict Resolution

Canadian Center For Applied Insight Conflict Resolution Sabina Smith is the director and lead trainer for the Canadian Center for Applied Insight Conflict Resolution.

The Canadian Center for Applied Insight Conflict Resolution (CCAICR) teaches professionals communication skills that reduce stress, build trust and turn conflict into cooperation. She holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Management along with a Bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies. With over ten years of varied experience in law enforcement, she has undertaken numerous roles, including

positions in Ontario Corrections, Corporate Security in northern Alberta, and as Senior Bylaw Enforcement Officer in Whistler, BC. Transitioning from law enforcement, Sabina accepted a Senior Adjudication position in 2023 for WorkSafeBC, where she was responsible for adjudicating complex mental health claims. In 2024, Sabina earned an appointment as Bylaw Adjudicator from the Ministry of Attorney General and currently directs the Canadian Center for Applied Insight Conflict Resolution, where she trains professionals on the practical applications of Insight theory, focusing on the importance of conscious and targeted curiosity to manage conflict and communicate more effectively. Her engaging public speaking style and ability to distill complex theories into memorable metaphors have garnered her praise in training sessions and workshops. Beyond her professional endeavors, Sabina is an avid Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor across North America and has recently begun teaching the martial art in the Interior of British Columbia, with a special focus on empowering women through her classes.

Loved working with the Vernon Teachers' Association before the long weekend. We talked conflict and how to use curiosity...
05/19/2026

Loved working with the Vernon Teachers' Association before the long weekend. We talked conflict and how to use curiosity to keep the pre-frontal cortex engaged when things get spicy in their world!

Last week I facilitated our 2-day immersive conflict communication course for Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc. We had a mix of st...
05/07/2026

Last week I facilitated our 2-day immersive conflict communication course for Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc. We had a mix of staff in the room from archaeology, public works, the museum, administration, and HR. It was also my first time facilitating the full 2-day course on my own- I was nervous! It felt like a big mountain to climb.

The first day focused on self- what happens in our bodies during conflict, how we regulate our own activations, and how we can communicate what we need or what matters to us as significance rather than judgment. Day 2 moved into strategic curiosity: once we have some grounding in ourselves, how do we respond to someone else’s challenging behaviour in a way that helps us and them understand what is really driving it?

At lunch on the second day, one participant approached me and said, “This has been a really good course.” and my automatic response was to say, “Yea, the content is great!” but she stopped me mid-sentence and said with a serious face, “No. It’s YOU. You make the space somewhere I feel okay to learn and be vulnerable.”

Bahh. Don’t make me cry. I needed to hear that. I'd been carrying some doubt about facilitating solo, but more than that, it meant so much because that's the kind of space I work really hard to create. The content matters. The skills matter. The theory matters. But none of it lands if people don’t feel safe enough to reflect honestly, try something new, and be vulnerable- especially considering how much practice we do in our courses.

I learned something else on the morning of Day 2. One participant greeted me with,“Tscwinúcw,” (Shwee-nook) the Secwepemctsín word meaning, “glad you made it through the night.” 🌄

Back in the classroom last Monday with the Kamloops Thompson Teachers' Association for District Day. I love doing this w...
05/05/2026

Back in the classroom last Monday with the Kamloops Thompson Teachers' Association for District Day. I love doing this work locally -it really fosters that sense of community in me.

This group was especially into the brain science.

Quick takeaway: under perceived threat, more activity shifts to emotional centres (amygdala) and less to the prefrontal cortex where our best thinking happens.

Part of my work that I don't share much about.⏬️Last week I spoke at the Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Ass...
04/21/2026

Part of my work that I don't share much about.⏬️

Last week I spoke at the Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Association of BC's conference on the topic of Bylaw Adjudication.

It's kind of a cool position to be in. I spent years in the field as a Bylaw Officer, and now I'm sitting on the other side as an adjudicator.

In the systems I enter, I find myself constantly thinking critically about the way things are, whether it needs to be that way, and are they human centered? I brought some of my thoughts to this presentation:

1. Do we need hearing rooms setup like courtrooms? Probably not. What happens when we sit across from eachother at a table instead of creating that immediate divide?

2. Making evidence presented intentional based on the narrow jurisdiction of the Adjudicator.

3. Looking at how we communicate with people in the field and screening office. Stepping away from, "You can dispute the ticket" as one of the openers when we're approached.

I'm looking forward to doing more of this work with LGCEA and continuing to build education around Bylaw adjudication. It's something I care a lot about getting right.

I delivered our Building Trust and Achieving Compliance course for Bylaw officers this week at the Local Government Comp...
04/17/2026

I delivered our Building Trust and Achieving Compliance course for Bylaw officers this week at the Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Association of BC 's annual conference on Vancouver Island.

Consistently one of my favourite groups to work with.
We had a lot of honest conversations about what actually works in moments of escalation.

Spoiler: It's not explaining more. It's getting curious first.

Last week in Langley City working with a construction crew on communication in high-pressure, public-facing moments. It ...
04/02/2026

Last week in Langley City working with a construction crew on communication in high-pressure, public-facing moments. It turns out, disruptions to someone’s morning commute can lead to challenging interactions!

This group showed up reflective, and willing to debrief real scenarios, while bringing humour into the skills practice.

We also focused on noticing our own response when someone comes in hot. That moment you feel a shift in yourself, name it, then get curious: what story am I telling myself about this change? That small step creates space to respond thoughtfully and keep interactions productive for everyone involved.

Appreciate the crew for their professionalism and willingness to engage in the work!

I spoke at the YWCA Newcomers Forum on Saturday at Robson Square in VancouverWe got into conflict communication, rapport...
03/25/2026

I spoke at the YWCA Newcomers Forum on Saturday at Robson Square in Vancouver

We got into conflict communication, rapport building, and a few practical things to do when feeling nervous going into a situation. One I still use myself, if it's a phone call im anxious about and I can stand, I do. It shifts how you come across more than you'd think.

It was an intimate group but the discussion was rich and thoughtful.✨️

Last week we facilitated our 1-day conflict communication course with the Building and Planning teams at the Municipali...
03/12/2026

Last week we facilitated our 1-day conflict communication course with the Building and Planning teams at the Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) .

In roles that involve regulation, decision-making, and frequent interaction with the public, difficult conversations are simply part of the job.

The most effective training doesn’t begin with techniques. It begins with the WHY, understanding the impact conflict has on people’s professional and personal lives.

When the foundation is clear, the skills land differently.

“Just stay calm.”“Be professional.”“Don’t take it personally.”That’s not training. That’s advice.When conflict arises, y...
02/24/2026

“Just stay calm.”
“Be professional.”
“Don’t take it personally.”

That’s not training. That’s advice.

When conflict arises, your good intentions aren't enough.

This is why our most requested 1-day course focuses on what really assists you in those uncomfortable moments.

✨ Understanding what’s happening psychologically in conflict
✨ A 3-step strategic communication framework
✨ Practice using your own real-life scenarios

Get your workplace professional development training with tools they can actually use this year.

02/04/2026

Strategic curiosity is the antidote to conflict.

When we're in conflict, our minds contract. We're not thinking clearly or making good decisions.

Strategic curiosity counters this effect by asking us questions on our own terms. It moves us from a contracted state to a much more expansive place.

Here's how curiosity changes conflict:

𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: When you ask a question, people are hard wired to retrieve the answer. In conflict, we want to ask curious questions directed at what the issue is for the person and/or a question aimed at the decision they're making or have made.

Example: "What's the impact of this on you?" or "What's making you want to do _____?"

𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱: One of the most effective tools in conflict resolution is making people feel heard and understood on what matters to them.

𝗜𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Curiosity allows us to collect valuable information and relieve assumptions. It opens up possibilities that were previously unimaginable when we were in that contracted, defensive state.

When conflict arises, get curious before you get defensive.

02/04/2026

Strategic curiosity is the antidote to conflict.

When we're in conflict, our minds contract. We're not thinking clearly or making good decisions.

Strategic curiosity counters this effect by asking us questions on our own terms. It moves us from a contracted state to a much more expansive place.

Here's how curiosity changes conflict:

𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Ask someone a simple factual question, and their brain immediately goes to retrieve that data. This momentarily hijacks their focus away from the conflict and onto what you want them to focus on.

𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱: One of the most effective tools in conflict resolution is making people feel heard and understood on what matters to them.

𝗜𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Curiosity allows us to collect valuable information and relieve assumptions. It opens up possibilities that were previously unimaginable when we were in that contracted, defensive state.

When conflict arises, get curious before you get defensive.

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Whistler, BC

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+14168446995

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