Relationship

Generally, four major discussions are found in relationships. These are certainly not the only ones, they are the ones I spend the most time helping people learn, hone, or practice. Always be willing to take a time out. There’s a problem between us Gentle Start…

Introduced by the Gottman Institute, this is a three phase process to help restore trust after an incident that has challenged trust. Steps Atonement The one who is attempting to restore trust or offer repair must atone for breaches of trust. One can write a…

Active Constructive Responding (ACR) is a way of responding when someone shares good experiences or information. If the receiver of the good news actively and constructively responds it can often provide a boost in wellbeing to both people involved in the conversation. Important aspects include…

Introduced by the Gottman Institute, the purpose of this process is to help partners manage daily external stress that comes from outside the relationship (like jobs!) Research shows partners that buffer their relationship from external stress are more able to maintain positive changes over time.…

Introduced by the Gottman Institute, this exercise relies upon the idea, any topic(s) worth having a conflict about probably has competing value underneath through discussion. Dreams Within Conflict A core part of accepting and embracing each other is uncovering and understanding the meaning of each…

Introduced by the Gottman Institute, this exercise is meant to allow people to create compromises together. We often use this exercise after identifying the conflict we’re discussing and the values we’re in conflict about. Here are some common intentional relationship topics that can be used…