How to Actually Resolve a Conflict: The 4-Option Method for Couples
Talking through a conflict is only half the work. The other half is figuring out what both partners will do differently next time.
In this Therapy Moment, Robyn Ashbuagh, LMFT shares her favorite conflict resolution tool: a four-option framework that gives couples a clear, structured way to close out a difficult conversation.
Attachment Styles and Relationships: Why You React the Way You Do
Have you ever wondered why you can feel completely fine in your relationship one moment—and then suddenly feel overwhelmed by fear, anger, or the need to pull away?
Maybe your partner takes longer than usual to respond to a text, and your mind immediately starts asking, “Are they upset with me?” Maybe conflict makes you want to talk everything through immediately, while your partner seems to disappear emotionally. Or perhaps you desperately want closeness but become uncomfortable when someone actually gets close.
These reactions can feel confusing, especially when you genuinely love your partner.
The Real Reason You Keep Having the Same Fight: When communication struggles are really about connection
When it comes to working with couples, I hear a common complaint: “We have terrible communication.” And for most people in relationships, there is some truth in that statement. I’m not sure about you, but I certainly was not thoroughly educated on what it means to have healthy conflict or how to communicate effectively—especially in romantic relationships. Like many people, I was imitating what I saw modeled in childhood, what I witnessed in movies and media, and what my emotions were telling me to do in the moment.