Let's Make Love, Not War

Come on baby let’s make love not war,
Come on baby what’re we fighting for?
Don’t let a silly fight keep us apart tonight.

With the strain on our daily lives growing, there’s a need for couples to learn how to amicably solve issues. Peaceful conflict resolution releases the anger that causes accusations, threats, name-calling and cursing. According to Dr. Marie Hartwell-Walker, marriage and family therapist, nobody needs to be a monster or to be treated monstrously.

Healthy relationships require the skills necessary for “friendly fighting” – a means of engaging and working out differences that matter without harming others. Couples must support each other, even when differences are confusing, aggravating or disappointing.

To ensure that conflicts strengthen your relationship instead of harming it, here are ten tips for fighting friendly:
1. Embrace conflict
2. Go after the issue, not each other
3. Listen respectfully
4. Talk softly
5. Get curious, not defensive
6. Ask for specifics
7. Find points of agreement
8. Look for options
9. Make concessions
10. Make peace

Do you have any tricks that help you and your honey get out of sticky situations?