You know those times there is conflict between you and your lover. One of you behaved in a way that annoyed or hurt the other and one of you lashes out in telling the other to knock off their behavior. Before you know it one of you is is being ultra defensive and the other is on the attack trying to fix their partner. and 1 hour later one of you is on the couch and one or both of you are deeply hurt and even crying. Well today is the day we try to start a new pattern.

Today we sit down with Family therapist Tim Birt and discuss healthy communication. We discuss the tool needed to have a healthy conversation. We discuss how to slow the conversation down and to focus on “I” statements and to share feelings without attacking behavior. We discuss consent and reasonable requests. When it is all done we only have scratched the surface. This practice, this work, requires you to take the ball from here and begin to take seriously your relationships and begin to do the hard work.

Timothy Birt, has a MS in Counseling and Psychology from Troy University, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC- AL & GA), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT – AL & GA), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC), and an AAMFT Clinical Fellow. Tim provides individual counseling, couples and family therapy, and group counseling. He works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families in Columbus, GA or Auburn, AL. He also provides home-based counseling in Lee, Russell, and Chambers counties in AL and Troop and Muscogee counties in GA.

RESOURCES:
Tim’s Recommended Resources
Expression / Understanding Skills
Skillfull / UnSkillfull Communication Skills
Here’s How Experts Define Healthy Communication In A Relationship
How Can We Communicate Better?
Effective Communication
The Key to Healthy Communication
Communication Skills for Healthy Relationships
How to Improve Your Relationships With Effective Communication Skills