#38: How Conflict Can Transform Relationships with Dr. Michele DeMarco

Dr. Michele DeMarco, an award-winning writer and author of Holding Onto Air: The Art and Science of Building a Resilient Spirit. Michele is a trained therapist, clinical ethicist, and researcher. Her research includes moral injury, psychology, trauma, neuroscience, and somatic and creative art therapies, world wisdom and spirituality. She has taught Creative Nonfiction and Conflict Transformation at California Institute of Integral Studies. We focus on the subject of Michele’s series: How to Tend and Befriend Conflict.

If we accept conflict is natural and necessary, what transformation becomes possible? We explore the errors of conventional conflict resolution, how to connect to the body’s wisdom, detecting underlying issues, defense mechanisms, and the five conflict styles. We then go deeper into the nuances, such as accommodating other points of view without losing integrity, opening to feedback, and giving and receiving grace.

I found our conversation immensely invaluable and I’m sure, if you’re also human and struggle with other humans, you will too. Enjoy!

Resources and References:

• Michele’s website: https://micheledemarco.com/
• Psychology Today blog ‘Soul Console’: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/soul-console
• Medium blog: https://michelejdemarco.medium.com/
• Book: Holding Onto Air: The Art and Science of Building a Resilience Spirit
• Conflict Styles Assessment Tool: https://www.usip.org/public-education-new/conflict-styles-assessment