Escaping the Negative Cycle: Before, During, and After a Hard Conversation
This group provides the perfect combination of expert advice, community support, and ongoing learning to help you and your relationship thrive.
If you’ve ever thought, “Here we are again, having the same fight,” you’re not alone. Every couple has cycles. One person reaches, the other protects, both feel unseen, and suddenly you’re stuck in a dance that feels impossible to stop.
Why We Get Stuck on Repeat
Underneath the raised voices, silence, or defensiveness are softer emotions—fears of being unimportant, powerless, or too much. When those vulnerable parts of us don’t feel safe to come forward, we protect ourselves. That’s when the cycle takes over.
What to Do Before the Conversation
You don’t have to wait until the next fight to start changing your cycle. Begin by naming your triggers and the vulnerable feelings underneath. Try something like:
“When I don’t feel understood, I shut down and go quiet.”
“When plans change last minute, I feel powerless and get sharp.”
This isn’t about blame—it’s about giving your partner a map to your inner world.
Staying Connected During the Tense Moment
In the middle of a hard conversation, less is more. Slow down. Reflect back what you hear in one short line, or name what’s happening inside of you. For example:
“I hear you saying you felt dismissed. I get that.”
“I’m starting to feel overwhelmed—can we take a short break and come back?”
Simple, clear words help you stay connected when emotions run high.
Repairing After the Rupture
Every relationship has moments of disconnection. What matters most is how you come back together. Repair works best when it has three parts:
Ownership – “I got defensive and interrupted.”
Empathy – “That probably felt invalidating.”
A Re-do – “What I wish I’d said was, ‘I want to understand—tell me more.’ Can we try again now?”
Try This Mini Script Tonight
“When (trigger) happens, I feel (vulnerable emotion: alone, powerless, not important). I usually (protective move: criticize, explain, shut down). What I really need is (reachable need: reassurance, a pause, one line of validation). Next time, could we try (specific behavior) instead?”
Want the Full Training + Re-Pair Scripts?
This post is just a glimpse of the full Escaping the Negative Cycle session from my members-only group. In the recording, I share the complete Before/During/After roadmap, plug-and-play language for staying connected, and practical re-do templates you can start using right away.
You don’t have to stay stuck in the same fight. With the right tools, you can turn painful cycles into moments that actually bring you closer.
This group provides the perfect combination of expert advice, community support, and ongoing learning to help you and your relationship thrive.
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We’ve all had those moments where a simple disagreement spirals into the same painful fight you’ve had a hundred times before. In this session, I’ll walk you through how to escape those negative cycles—what to do before the conversation, how to stay connected during a hard moment, and the steps to take after when repair is needed.