What is Conflict resolution therapy?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Psychologist Susan Heitler, Ph.D first explained her theory of treatment, now called Conflict Resolution Therapy, in her 1990 book From Conflict to Resolution.

Conflict resolution therapy rests on the premise that negative feelings mainly emerge in response to situations of conflict. If effective conflict resolution skills move the triggering conflict to resolution, well-being resumes. If conflict resolution skills are insufficient however, negative feelings continue to fester and grow.

This premise applies to conflicts within a person--conflicts for instance between someone’s desires and what they feel they should do. It applies similarly to conflicts between people--such as between a couple, spouses, a parent and child, or co-workers--and to conflicts between people and difficult circumstances--such as illness or economic difficluties. Conflict resolution therapy methods therefore are applicable to treatment with distraught individuals, couples, and/or families.

Conflict resolution treatment methods utilize visualization techniques for rapid exploration of family of origin sources of disfunctional patterns. The treatment focuses primarily though on coaching the communication and conflict resolution skills that enable couples to sustain a positive relationship, and using these skills to resolve the issues that have been divisive. If emotions like anxiety, depression, or anger have been problematic in the relationship, these also are addressed early on in treatment.

The primary job of a therapist working in this treatment methodolgy is to guide clients to healthy win-win resolutions of their upsetting issues, problems and differences. A win-win resolution results in removal of depression, anxiety, anger and other negative emotions.

In addition to facilitating resolution of existing conflicts, however, conflict resolution treatment teaches clients the skills for them to be able to address future upsetting circustances more effectively on their own.

http://www.goodtherapy.org/conflict-reso…
http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr…
http://www.gofnyc.org/articles/forgivene…

Dearest Julia, The conflict resolution method can be thought of as a st of rules to govern interpersonal strife and as a constructive process to handling emotion-laden disagreements. This process encourages assertive communication and the expression of feeling, but it does not permit the typical verbal free-for-all which blocks creative resolution of conflict and which tends to be very destructive in relationships. The three-step process of conflict resolution helps people fight constructively - in a systematic, continuous, growth-producing way. The first step is to treat the other person with respect. The second step is to listen until you experience the other person's side of the story. The third step is stating your views, needs and feelings.