Most difficult conversations begin with good intentions but gradually become arguments. This article introduces a working model of how emotional experiences shape communication, why people become stuck trying to convince one another, and how genuine understanding creates a different purpose for difficult conversations.

We often assume our feelings are caused directly by what happens around us. This article explores how we make sense of experiences, why people react differently to the same situation, and why becoming curious about how experience takes shape can transform understanding.

Many relationship conversations become stuck because couples focus on what happened instead of understanding what hurt. This article explores how gently uncovering another person’s emotional experience creates genuine understanding and lays the foundation for healing and repair.