The Platinum Rule

The Platinum Rule

As a child you probably learned The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is a simple rule that helps children gain a perspective outside of themselves. The limitation to this rule, however, is the assumption that all people want the same things.

 

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Conscious Parenting

Conscious Parenting

Have you ever been taken by surprise by how angry you become by an interaction with your child? Have you felt feelings of shame and regret by how harshly you spoke to him or her? Have you promised that you won’t get angry like that anymore only to find yourself losing your patience again in a matter of days or hours, or maybe even minutes?

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Divorce Recovery

Divorce Recovery

Most people enter into marriage with dreams of a lifetime of love, partnership, family, security, and happiness.  Many times, it is the loss of these dreams that is the most painful aspect of the dissolution of a marriage.  

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Lawyers in a Courtroom / Conflict Resolution

Lawyers in a Courtroom / Conflict Resolution

A communication approach that many couples engage in when experiencing a conflict is what I like to call “Lawyers in a Courtroom.”  One person presents his/her case, complete with a list of the partner’s transgressions to prove that she is right and her partner is wrong.  The partner, in turn, compiles his list of rebuttals and responds with a ledger of her wrongdoings.  This type of exchange frequently features verbal repetition and an escalation of volume.  By the end, both parties feel hurt and angry and even more entrenched in original viewpoints. 

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