Disagreeing Well
When to see a couples counsellor, and what it is not
Most couples wait far longer than they should, and arrive expecting a referee. What the process actually involves, what it can and…
Disagreeing Well
Recurring arguments, repair, and the difference between a row and a problem.
21 articles · updated August 11, 2026 · page 2 of 2
Disagreeing Well
What is actually in an apology, and why most attempts are missing a part
Apologies fail for structural reasons rather than because of insufficient sincerity. The components that make one land, the phrases…
Disagreeing Well
Taking a break from an argument only works if you say when you are coming back
Pausing a fight is a legitimate technique and an easily abused one. What distinguishes a break from a walkout, why an open-ended…
Disagreeing Well
Arguing in front of other people costs more than the argument
A disagreement conducted in company carries an audience, a record and an aftermath. Why public arguments escalate differently, what…
Disagreeing Well
The joke that is not a joke is doing more damage than the shouting
Sarcasm, eye-rolling and the running gag at a partner's expense erode a marriage more quietly than open conflict. How contempt…
Disagreeing Well
One of you grew up with shouting and one with silence
Families train people in how conflict sounds, and the training is invisible from the inside. How mismatched conflict registers get…
Disagreeing Well
You can win the argument and lose the week
Being right is not the same as being effective, and the gap between them explains a great deal of household conflict. What a…
Disagreeing Well
The first sentence decides how the next hour goes
How a difficult subject gets opened predicts the shape of the conversation that follows. What a workable opening contains, which…
Disagreeing Well
Small broken promises are how reliability gets spent
Forgotten errands and missed commitments look trivial individually and function as a currency. How a household's trust in ordinary…