Making Healthy Families:
an
on-line seminar in
Communication & Problem Solving
By Gayle Peterson, Ph.D.
Copyright 1996-2003. Gayle Peterson All rights reserved.
Say What You Mean,
and Mean What You Say!
"Effective
communication between family members is not just a 'good idea', but
a basic human need. The satisfaction we can enjoy from our family
relationships , the success or failure of our marriages and even our
physical health depend upon it."
Introduction
The Empathy and Problem-Solving Connection
The capacity for empathy and the ability to solve
problems are two critical elements for sustaining healthy family relationships.
And they are marital bedfellows! Understanding creates the bridge
to problem solving. And problem solving reinforces intimacy through
a sense of satisfying teamwork.
How we communicate our needs and our ability to listen
to viewpoints that oppose our own, can make the difference between
feelings of despair or satisfaction in marriage. But, it is often
the case that when we are emotionally upset our otherwise "effective"
communication goes awry. That is why we must consider our communication
as it occurs when we are in conflict with our loved ones to ensure
that we get to the heart of developing skills which truly sustain
healthy relationships.
Prolonged unresolved conflict erodes affection in
a marriage and is a primary precursor of divorce. Consider this seminar
a preventative divorce-buster! And as insurance against any potential
for future estrangement from the children you love, as you travel
through the predictable tumultuousness of adolescence and unexpected
twists and turns of the family journey.
Outline
Start
Here for first
article:
Developing
your "Communication Membrane"
- Implications for physical health and emotional
well-being
- Listening: the empathic connection
Communication and
Problem Solving
- Seven steps for conflict resolution and its importance
to your marriage
- Identifying the amount of conflict resolution that
takes place in your marriage
- Identifying the quality of your conflict resolution
- Exercises in listening and empathy
Six Ingredients for
Healthy Communication
Communication under
Pressure: Conflict and Compromise
- How to mean what you say without negating or distracting
from your message
- Breaking old patterns and developing new strategies
for expressing yourself during conflict
- Discussion and identifying your "discussion
busters"
- Strategies for handling stress and conflict without
damaging relationships
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this information as a substitute for personal medical
or mental health attention, diagnosis or treatment.
If you are concerned about your health or that of a
child's, please consult your family's health care provider
immediately.
Disclaimer:
The accuracy or completeness of any information contained
on this site is not guaranteed. As such, the columnist
is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for
the results obtained from the use of such information.
The author of such articles shall not be liable or responsible
to any person or entity for any loss or damage caused,
or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly
by the information or ideas contained, suggested, or
referenced on this site.
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Copyright 1996-2003. Gayle Peterson All rights reserved.
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