CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Last night in pre-marital counseling, Rachel and I were able to learn a little something about conflict resolution. It would be arrogant of us to say we've never been in a fight, but we have had very few up unto this point (and I'm not complaining!). Every week we are asked if anything came up in the previous week and we never had anything to add. This week we decided to remember one and bring it in. Here are some of the steps that our counselor (Gary Bruegman who is a thug amongst thugs) gave us :

1. Establish a No Losers Policy
2. Heart Talk (for both parties)
3. Brainstorm a solution (as many as possible)
4. Eliminate any choices that aren't acceptable to both parties
5. Pick the top 2-3 choices that are left
6. Select a final choice that is most important to implement
7. Implement
8. Return and revevaluate if necessary

Gary was able to walk us through the argument that we had and how it would have been different had we applied this to it instead of going about it how we did. I have a feeling that if Rachel and I stick to this plan of attack, we are going to have some very successful disagreements in the future (what a concept huh?). -theGroom