There are times in a relationship when a person needs to set boundaries. It could be healthy to take a step back and soothe the emotions in times of anger. But while it's helpful to 'take a breather' during escalated conflict situations, refusing to engage or acknowledge the other person in the relationship is not healthy. Stonewalling, silent treatments, or sulking can be hurtful, and in some cases, manipulative. If there's no communication, there's no relationship.

In today's episode, I discuss stonewalling, the silent treatment, and the many reasons people resort to it. I explain how stonewalling can undermine communication and, eventually, the relationship itself. I explain why men stonewall more than women and the steps you can take to handle the silent treatment. I also share the steps I took to change my stonewalling habits as well as identify the ways a couple can handle conflict situations better.

"Stonewalling could be really detrimental to a relationship. Have the courage to mess up, to say things that are vulnerable, and to reach out for love." - Pripo Teplitsky

This week on Relationships! Let's Talk About It:

• The definition of stonewalling and the reasons people resort to it
• How stonewalling damages communication in relationships
• A healthy way to temporarily withdraw from conflict situations
• Why men stonewall more than women
• How the silent treatment affects a relationship
• How to re-engage with your partner after a stonewalling episode
• The steps I took to change my stonewalling behavior
• Effective ways to deal with the silent treatment
• The ways stonewallers can change their behavior
• How to build your empathy muscle
• What emotional maturity is and how it helps a relationship
• The signs of a healthy relationship

Let's Talk About It!

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Theme music "These Streets" provided by Adi the Monk

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