Heartside Chats w/ Dr. Chelsea Wakefield

In episode 11, Dr. Wakefield and Lisa discuss the challenges of communication in a relationship.  It takes emotional maturity to pause, reflect, and slow down especially when conflicts escalate. Also in this episode, you will learn more about: John Gottman’s "4 Horsemen of the Apocolypse" - the most destructive dynamics in communication- Criticism, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. The power of using “I” language.  Saying what you notice, feel, and want without blaming, or projecting by avoiding sentences that start with “you.” The Who, What, When, Why, Where, and How in Communication between couples. 

Chelsea and Lisa talk about how important it is to be "curious instead of furious." They visit topics covered in Chelsea Wakefield's book, The Labyrinth of Love" related to curiosity.  They cover topics like: The uselessness of getting stuck in a "what happened" argument. Understanding our partner's Love Languages - paying attention to what speaks love in THEIR world.   Shadow boxing - when we get caught in circular conflicts where we are just reacting to our partner's reactivity, and we are both upset about something outside of our conscious awareness (phew! kinda deep!) How it helps to think about having two "inner cast of characters" so that we can figure out how to love each other well or avoid getting caught in battles between one person's "inner teen" ("you are not the boss of me!") and the other person's "critical parent."     How our nighttime dreams can inform us about emotional dynamics that are going on in the underbelly of our relationship. How to create an "exit ramp" off the conflict highway.

In this episode, Chelsea and Lisa engage in a lively conversation about the importance of setting intentions early in the day and how we can communicate more lovingly and effectively in all of our relationships!

In this episode Dr. Wakefield and Lisa, discuss the love capacities of courage and curiosity. It takes a lot of courage to face ourselves and to learn things about our partners that are surprising and sometimes disturbing. This is where we begin to encounter the fullness of who they are. This is where the real relationship begins! The “learning conversation” - how relationship can be like an anthropology study. It is so important to cross the bridge into the other person’s world and try to look out of their eyes and their experience instead of constantly interpreting everything they do and say thru our own lens of understanding. When we seek to understand the other person, and listen deeply, it is an act of love. People feel loved when they feel understood. Surprises - what to do when you discover your partner’s unexpected “raw spots.” The powerful pause – when we are upset, how important it is to step back and pause before we believe the story our minds are telling us about what is happening and react from that place. How doing our personal work improves ALL of our relationships. In doing so, we do our small part towards the realization of peace on earth. That’s why we always want to BEGIN WITHIN!

Dr. Wakefield and Lisa explore the love capacity of courage and how important it is in the journey of love. Courage is built by practicing it.  Loving someone will inevitably involve some pain, because we are all imperfect people.  So, how do we keep our hearts open? The greatest enemy of love is fear.  For people with a history of trauma, how do you take that self-protective "heart-wall" down and have the courage to love again?  Dr. Wakefield and Lisa offer some helpful suggestions for ways of sustaining a life of love in an imperfect world.