Repair

Fighting fair means engaging with a disagreement in a way that protects the relationship even while you disagree — no name-calling, no bringing up unrelated past issues, and no fig…

Stonewalling is emotionally withdrawing from a conversation or conflict — going quiet, physically leaving, or shutting down — and researcher John Gottman identified it as one of fo…

A genuine apology names the specific action, acknowledges its actual impact, and doesn’t include a “but” — the moment a justification enters an apology, it stops functioning as one…

The silent treatment is a form of stonewalling — withdrawing from communication during or after conflict, often as a way to self-protect from overwhelm — but when used to punish or…

A repair attempt, a concept from relationship researcher John Gottman, is any statement or action made during conflict aimed at de-escalating tension before it spirals — a joke, a …