Cultivate emotional safety with your partner through breaking down destructive patterns of communication using empathy and understanding. 

P R A C T I C E

Before engaging in a conflict,

• Take a moment to imagine the day's events and what has been happening in your partner's world.

• Ask open-ended questions about their day to get a better sense of empathy BEFORE you even initiate further dialogue.

Note: This brief moment can help soften your approach to the conflict and help you more clearly understand your partner’s emotional world and context to this experience. 

• Then, let compassionate curiosity guide you as you seek to understand your partner better and find clarity about the situation and need that the two of you are experiencing. 

Remain open, teachable, and lean into the conflict as an opportunity to know each other better. Through this, you can gain intimacy with understanding and deeper level of connection.