Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

Why Conflict is Critical (John & Julie Gottman, PhDs)

Feb 1, 2024

Learn how expressing needs in a relationship strengthens trust and connection with insights from renowned therapists Drs. John & Julie Gottman. Delve into conflict dynamics, fighting styles, and effective communication strategies for successful relationships. Explore rebuilding trust post-infidelity, navigating conflict in same-sex couples, and the impact of childhood experiences on adult loneliness in relationships.

01:01:07

Episode guests

John Gottman

Julie Gottman

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Asking for needs in a relationship builds trust and connection, demonstrating faith in partner's support.

Conflict is vital for healthy relationships, with a 5:1 positive to negative interaction ratio recommended for success.

Deep dives

The Gottmans - Leading Relationship Scientists

Doctors John and Julie Gottman, renowned for their extensive research and work with couples, emphasize the importance of conflict in relationships. They stress that asking for what you need from your partner is a way of building trust and connection. By articulating one's needs, individuals demonstrate trust in their partner's ability to support them, fostering intimacy and strengthening relationships.

Introduction

3min

Navigating Conflict and Building Strong Relationships

12min

Navigating Conflict Patterns and Communication in Relationships

3min

Navigating Conflict in Relationships

7min

Challenges in Hiring and Warning Signs of Relationship Troubles

2min

Rebuilding Trust After Infidelity

13min

Philanthropic leadership program and Loneliness in Relationships

5min

Deepening Communication in Relationships

11min

Insights on Conflict Resolution in Same-Sex Couples

5min

“Every single human being is a pack animal. That's what we are biologically. We would die if we didn't depend on each other. Saying what you need is a form of connecting with your partner and saying, let's be a team. Can you serve me in this way? Can I trust you to have my back? Because I've got yours. And I want to be there for you. The other thing that people don't realize is that when they ask their partner for something they need, what they're doing is saying to the partner, you are my chosen one. You are my confidant. You are the person I trust more than anybody to be there for me. And the other person may feel very honored by that, actually. What that person is saying is you are trustworthy. You are the person that I know has the strength and the resources to be there for me.”

Doctors John and Julie Gottman are two of the most famous and popular couples therapists in the world—not only because of their ability to impart relationship-saving and relationship-strengthening advice, but because of John Gottman’s decades of reearch in the so called “Love Lab,” where he observed couples over time and could predict—with a dizzying level of success—who was destined to divorce.

In short, the Gottmans are the world’s leading relationship scientists, having gathered data on thousands of couples—they then use those findings to train clinicians and create simple principles for couples around the world.

In their latest book, Fight Right, they explore conflict—something we’re all trained to avoid at all costs. Their point though, which their research supports, is that conflict is essential for healthy relationships, clearing out the brush of stagnant resentments and deepening bonds.

In today’s conversation, we explore everything from fighting styles—there’s avoiders, validators, and volatiles—along with our tendency to start conflict harshly because we feel like we need a lot of ammo to justify the rupture and make our point. And then we move to modes and paths of repair, along with what their latest research can tell us about infidelity and its root cause. I loved this conversation, which we’ll turn to now.

MORE FROM JOHN & JULIE GOTTMAN:

Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict into Connection

The Love Prescription: Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work

The Gottman Institute: A Research-Based Approach to Relationships

Gottman Relationship Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Partner?

Find a Gottman Trained Therapist

Follow the Gottman Institute on Twitter and Instagram

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