Once the swirl of an argument starts, it’s difficult to find your way back to connection. You might feel angry and scared and want to protect needs for understanding, respect, and consideration. Habit energy can be like a runaway semi truck going downhill. The brakes burn out, and you find yourself sliding into defending, shutting down, attacking, or blaming.

There are some emergency interventions that can help slow down escalation and return you to connection. Take a look at the list of possibilities below, and identify what would be the most accessible for you in a challenging interaction.