Conflict Mastery - Communication & Repair
Welcome to Course 2 in the Relationship Mastery Series — a practical, evidence-informed guide to navigating tension, reducing escalation, and transforming conflict into deeper connection.
In this course, you will learn how to manage disagreements without damaging trust, recognise emotional triggers before they spiral, and apply proven repair tools that restore safety and closeness.
You will understand how conflict patterns form, why couples get stuck in repeating arguments, and how to interrupt those cycles with clarity and skill.
Rather than avoiding difficult conversations — or winning them — you will learn how to move through them constructively.
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Course Introduction: Conflict Mastery - Communication Repair
Relationship Foundations: The Science of Love & Connection is an evidence-informed online course designed to help individuals and couples understand how healthy relationships are built and sustained. Drawing on relationship science and practical education, the course explores emotional safety, trust-building habits, communication, and connection. Learners gain clear, actionable insight into how love functions as a skill developed through intention, awareness, and daily practice.
Relationship Foundations: The Science of Love & Connection is an evidence-informed online course designed to help individuals and couples understand how healthy relationships are built and sustained. Drawing on relationship science and practical education, the course explores emotional safety, trust-building habits, communication, and connection. Learners gain clear, actionable insight into how love functions as a skill developed through intention, awareness, and daily practice.
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Module 1: The Nature of Conflict
Learn why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how understanding it can strengthen connection rather than damage it.
Learn why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how understanding it can strengthen connection rather than damage it.
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Lesson 1.1: Why Conflict Is Normal
Learn why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how understanding it can strengthen connection rather than damage it.
Learn why conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships and how understanding it can strengthen connection rather than damage it.
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Lesson 1.2: Solvable vs Perpetual Problems
Learn the difference between solvable and recurring relationship problems, and how understanding this can reduce conflict and improve communication.
Learn the difference between solvable and recurring relationship problems, and how understanding this can reduce conflict and improve communication.
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Lesson 1.3: How Escalation Begins
Learn how conflict escalates step by step and how to interrupt the cycle early to prevent arguments from intensifying in relationships.
Learn how conflict escalates step by step and how to interrupt the cycle early to prevent arguments from intensifying in relationships.
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Module 2: Triggers, Flooding & Emotional Reactivity
Understand emotional triggers, flooding, and reactive patterns in conflict, and learn how to respond with greater control and clarity.
Understand emotional triggers, flooding, and reactive patterns in conflict, and learn how to respond with greater control and clarity.
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Lesson 2.1: Understanding Emotional Triggers
Learn what emotional triggers are, why they happen, and how they influence your reactions during conflict in relationships.
Learn what emotional triggers are, why they happen, and how they influence your reactions during conflict in relationships.
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Lesson 2.2: Emotional Flooding & the Body’s Response
Learn what emotional flooding is, how it affects your body during conflict, and how to recognise overwhelm before communication breaks down.
Learn what emotional flooding is, how it affects your body during conflict, and how to recognise overwhelm before communication breaks down.
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Lesson 2.3: From Reaction to Regulation
Learn how to pause, regulate emotions, and respond intentionally during conflict to improve communication and prevent escalation.
Learn how to pause, regulate emotions, and respond intentionally during conflict to improve communication and prevent escalation.
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Module 3: Destructive Conflict Patterns
Learn to recognise destructive conflict patterns like criticism, defensiveness, and withdrawal, and how they impact communication in relationships.
Learn to recognise destructive conflict patterns like criticism, defensiveness, and withdrawal, and how they impact communication in relationships.
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Lesson 3.1: Criticism vs Complaint
Learn the difference between criticism and complaint, and how changing your language can reduce conflict and improve communication in relationships.
Learn the difference between criticism and complaint, and how changing your language can reduce conflict and improve communication in relationships.
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Lesson 3.2: Defensiveness & Escalation
Learn why defensiveness escalates conflict in relationships and how to respond without increasing tension or shutting down communication.
Learn why defensiveness escalates conflict in relationships and how to respond without increasing tension or shutting down communication.
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Lesson 3.3: Withdrawal & Disconnection
Learn why people withdraw during conflict, how it creates emotional disconnection, and how to stay engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
Learn why people withdraw during conflict, how it creates emotional disconnection, and how to stay engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
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Module 4: Structured Communication & Repair
Learn structured communication tools, soft start-ups, and repair skills to navigate conflict and rebuild connection in relationships.
Learn structured communication tools, soft start-ups, and repair skills to navigate conflict and rebuild connection in relationships.
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Lesson 4.1: Speaker Listener Technique for Conflict
Learn the speaker–listener technique to structure conversations, reduce conflict, and improve understanding in relationships.
Learn the speaker–listener technique to structure conversations, reduce conflict, and improve understanding in relationships.
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Lesson 4.2: Soft Start-Ups & Clear Expression
Learn how to use soft start-ups to begin difficult conversations calmly, reduce defensiveness, and improve communication in relationships.
Learn how to use soft start-ups to begin difficult conversations calmly, reduce defensiveness, and improve communication in relationships.
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Lesson 4.3: Repair Attempts & Reconnection
Learn how to use repair attempts to reduce conflict, restore connection, and rebuild trust after difficult conversations in relationships.
Learn how to use repair attempts to reduce conflict, restore connection, and rebuild trust after difficult conversations in relationships.
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Module 5: Building Long-Term Relationship Habits
Learn daily relationship habits that build trust, emotional safety, and long-term connection, and prevent disconnection before it begins.
Learn daily relationship habits that build trust, emotional safety, and long-term connection, and prevent disconnection before it begins.
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Lesson 5.1: Daily Habits That Build Connection
Learn simple daily habits that strengthen connection, build trust, and improve emotional closeness in relationships over time.
Learn simple daily habits that strengthen connection, build trust, and improve emotional closeness in relationships over time.
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Lesson 5.2: Trust, Consistency & Emotional Safety Over Time
Learn how trust is built through consistency, and how emotional safety develops over time through reliable actions and communication.
Learn how trust is built through consistency, and how emotional safety develops over time through reliable actions and communication.
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Lesson 5.3: Rituals of Connection & Relationship Maintenance
Discover relationship rituals that strengthen connection, build shared meaning, and maintain emotional closeness over time.
Discover relationship rituals that strengthen connection, build shared meaning, and maintain emotional closeness over time.
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Course Conclusion: Communication & Repair
A complete summary of conflict mastery in relationships, including communication, repair, and habits for lasting connection and trust.
A complete summary of conflict mastery in relationships, including communication, repair, and habits for lasting connection and trust.
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What You'll Learn
In this course, you will develop the practical skills required to navigate conflict with clarity, confidence, and emotional maturity.
You will learn why disagreements escalate, how reactive patterns form, and how to interrupt destructive cycles through intentional communication and effective repair.
Course Structure
This course is divided into five modules, each containing:
Theory — what the research shows about conflict and repair
Pattern Recognition — identifying your relational tendencies
Guided Dialogue Scripts — structured communication tools
Workbook Activities — applied exercises for real-life situations
Practical Repair Tools — step-by-step de-escalation strategies
Optional Interactive Templates — online reflection forms
Identify personal emotional triggers and flooding responses
Understand the scientific predictors of relationship breakdown and repair
Make effective repair attempts that restore emotional safety
Replace defensiveness, criticism, and withdrawal with constructive alternatives
Apply structured dialogue tools to difficult conversations
Recognise destructive conflict patterns before they escalate
Strengthen resilience through healthy disagreement
Build habits that transform conflict into