“I don’t understand how the child of immigrants could support a border wall.”
“I feel like I can’t talk to you about my love life because I’m queer.”
“As a Trump voter, I was afraid I’d lost the support of my fellow sexual assault survivors.”
“My dad owns guns, and I advocate for gun safety.”
Chances are, if you are living in 2018, these lamentations are familiar to you. Perhaps you have come across these expression of frustration from loved ones or friends, or perhaps you have even expressed similar grievances yourself. It can be difficult to understand how to process the emotions that come with these hot button topics, especially in our current political climate. When emotions run hot, it is easy to become lost in the moment and abandon effective discussion strategies, despite objectively understanding the value of good conversation.
It is important, however, to understand how to effectively discuss these matters, especially in challenging situations. The most important part of an effective and fruitful debate is communication, and Lia Avellino, LMSW knows just that. She spoke to Glamour Magazine for their February 2018 issue, in which she provided professional advice on how to have difficult conversations, be they with a romantic partner, family member, or simply with someone with whom you do not see eye to eye. In this time of political tension, handling difficult conversations on hot button topics has become an everyday issue. Learn more about how to discuss the tough stuff such as issues related to immigration, sexuality, and gun control, and get Lia’s personal advice below.
“Be an active listener. When we feel hurt, we often block out anyone else’s voice. Try what I call Speaker/Listener. There’s only one speaker at a time, and she lets the listener know when she’s done talking. Then, the listener has to paraphrase what she just heard before adding anything new. It helps people feel heard.”
Read the complete article here: How to Discuss the Tough Stuff
