About Bridge Conversations
Bridges
I'm Jon Komperda, founder of Bridge Conversations. Several years ago I heard a poem by Ted Loder that hopes: "Direct my power and passion to creating life where there is death, to putting flesh of action on bare-boned intention, to lighting fires against the midnight of indifference, to throwing bridges of care across canyons of loneliness."
Bridge Conversations arose out of those lines that spoke to over a decade of pastoring a church in Toledo, Ohio. From this work, I have seen that from intimate relationships to public dialogue, whether it's life changes or organizational growth, transformation and change begin with creative and compassionate communication around difference. I believe that becoming better conversation partners is the key to healthier relationships, more purposeful organizations, more vibrant spirituality, and greater creativity in times of life transition
What We Do
We help individuals, couples, and organizations bridge the gap from conflict and confusion to compassion and creativity. We do this by developing healthier conversation patterns.
The key is transforming how we navigate differences: whether those differences are between people or even between our expectations and reality. Rather than being an obstacle, better conversations can transform difference into the very material for creativity.
That's the "bridge" we're building.
Services:
-Premarital Counseling and Weddings
-Funerals, Memorials, Celebrations of Life, and Grief Counseling
-Marriage Counseling
-Leadership Consulting and Team Building
-Spiritual Coaching
Our Approach
I try to answer the question, “What makes people think, feel, and act the way they do?” I’m fascinated by our differences–how we can witness the same event and interpret it differently, why one person can believe something 100% that another person thinks is utterly absurd, how people can respond so differently to similar life experiences. As I’ve explored these questions over the years, I’ve collected a number of “Conceptual Frameworks of Difference.” While I don’t think any one of these conceptual frameworks can explain or encapsulate any one person, let alone all of us, I DO think many of them help us to reframe our differences, locate ourselves within a range of human expressions, and begin to see the OTHER in a new light. Put it this way: When you are building a bridge, the first thing you need to know is what two different places you’re trying to connect.
Once we LOCATE ourselves, then we can LEARN new conversation skills, postures, and approaches that can LEVERAGE our differences from conflict and isolation toward greater compassion and creativity. Check out our RELATIONSHIPS, ORGANIZATIONS, SPIRITUALITY, and LIFE TRANSITIONS pages for more specifics about how Bridge Conversations can partner with you.
