David W.  McMillan, Ph.D concentrates his mediation practice in Nashville on family conflict.  Mediation is a natural extension of his therapy practice as he has worked with families for years in his practice.  His interest in mediation is actually an outgrowth of his forensic practice, where he serves courts as a custody evaluator or parent coordinator, usually at the appointment of the judge.  He feels that he is truly successful if his reports are able to allow parents to forge their own agreement after he has given his report to the court.  Dr. McMillan received a Ph.D. in psychology from George Peabody College, after spending one year of law school. (He comes from a long line of attorneys.)  His major academic contribution was a theory of  “Sense of Community.”  He received a B.A. from Rhodes College (Southwestern) a year before James McElroy, one of our Group mediators. 

Dr. McMillan is also a prolific writer.  He has published two books, “Create Your Own Love Story” and “Emotion Rituals:  A Resource for Therapists and Clients.”  He has written several other books and manuals.  Of particular note is a Parenting Manual, from which he often lectures to various groups as well as authoring a self-help book on emotion rituals, and a new book which deals with balance in relationships.    He has a very strong interest in Domestic Violence.  After his wife, Judge Marietta Shipley, complained that batterers programs promoted more violence, he developed a program for batterers and for their wives or girlfriends.  It met with good success.  He has also developed a program for Eating Disorders, which is still an ongoing program in this difficult treatment population. His books and articles are found at www.drdavidmcmillan.com.

Dr. McMillan enjoys playing golf, traveling to Utah with Marietta  and playing with his wonderful dog Greco, whom he has taught to bring in the paper and sing for his supper.  It is only ironic that David and Marietta met at a seminar where she spoke about mediation in 1984.  He encouraged her to go to her first training in California in 1989. Now they are in this Group together.           

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