The #1 Relationship Researchers in the World: 50 Years of Marriage & Love Advice in One Conversation

Summary

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Episode: The #1 Relationship Researchers in the World: 50 Years of Marriage & Love Advice in One Conversation
Host: Mel Robbins
Guests: Dr. John Gottman & Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman
Date: June 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this deeply insightful episode, Mel Robbins hosts Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, renowned relationship researchers and founders of the Gottman Institute. Drawing on over 50 years of research, the Gottmans share the foundational behaviors that drive couples apart, role-play the most common destructive conflict patterns (“the four horsemen”), and most importantly, walk listeners through actionable science-backed tools for transforming conflict into connection. The episode focuses on understanding conflict, managing emotional flooding, building rituals of connection, and fostering mutual respect, love, and friendship in all relationships—whether you're dating, married, or single.

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Key Themes & Insights

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Why Conflict Is Inevitable—and Essential

• Conflict is Normal: Every relationship has conflict. The key isn’t avoiding fights but learning to handle them constructively and compassionately.
  • “The real theme of conflict is to understand your partner better. It’s not to tear your partner down, it’s to really get inside their world and understand where they’re coming from.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [06:31]
• Perpetual Problems: Around 69% of issues are recurring and never truly resolved; the goal isn’t fixing everything but learning to talk about it positively.
  • “69% of the issues couples struggle with are perpetual conflicts. They never, ever go away.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [17:16]
• Avoiding Conflict Is Not Better: Avoidance leads to emotional distance, loneliness, and “parallel lives.”
  • “Avoiding conflict is why you feel disconnected and lonely.” —Mel Robbins [03:43]
  • “If you hold them inside and don’t bring them up, they accumulate. You may end up with an eruption.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [30:53]

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The Science of Love: How the Gottmans Predict Relationship Success

• The Love Lab: The Gottmans observed couples in a home-like setting, measuring physiological and behavioral responses.
  • “We can predict the future of the relationship six years later from the way they interacted in that apartment lab—the prediction is really 94% accurate.” —Dr. John Gottman [14:33]
• The Power of the First 3 Minutes: The direction and tone of a conflict are set immediately.
  • “We were still predicting the future of the relationship very accurately by just looking at that first three minutes... That beginning is so important.” —Dr. John Gottman [18:56]
• Role of Emotional Coding: The Gottmans developed specific affect (“spaff”) coding to define and measure emotional interactions during conflict.

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The Four Horsemen of Relationship Destruction

Drs. John and Julie Gottman demonstrate—through vivid role play—the four toxic behaviors most predictive of relationship demise, plus antidotes for each.

1. Criticism [42:42]

• Definition: Blaming a problem on a partner’s personality ("You’re so selfish").
• Effect: Elicits defensiveness and escalates the conflict.
• Repair: Use “I feel” statements instead of “you” attacks. Express your own emotions and needs without character assassination.
  • “I need to tell you, I’m really feeling defensive right now...the way that you’re describing me feels to me like a put down. Can you say what you want in different words?” —Dr. Julie Gottman [52:20]

2. Contempt [43:03, 58:32]

• Definition: Conveying superiority, mockery, or scorn; the biggest predictor of breakup and physical illness (“sulfuric acid” for the immune system).
• Examples: Eye-rolling, sarcasm, correcting grammar to belittle.
• Repair: Express impact (“I feel insulted”). Ask partner to express what they do want in a respectful way.
  • “There’s no way I can hear what you’re saying right now because I feel so insulted...Tell me what you do want, not just the wave of negativity.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [63:11]
  • “Contempt is really a murder attempt at the person’s sense of self.” —Dr. John Gottman [60:39]

3. Defensiveness [44:01, 67:28]

• Definition: Refusing to take responsibility, counterattacking, or playing the innocent victim.
• Effect: Blocks connection, escalates fights.
• Repair: Take partial responsibility; show openness to partner’s feedback.
  • “If you want to avoid defensiveness, think: she’s got an important point. I have to help her get to it.” —Dr. John Gottman [67:28]
  • Role play around health habits illustrates shifting from defensiveness to curiosity and teamwork. [69:39-73:31]

4. Stonewalling [44:01, 74:13]

• Definition: Emotionally shutting down, withdrawing from interaction for several minutes or longer.
• What’s Really Happening: Physiological flooding (elevated heart rate, panic); not a power play, but self-soothing.
• Repair: Verbally acknowledge flooding (“I’m flooded, I need a break. I’ll come back in 30 minutes.”). Take 20+ minutes to self-soothe, then revisit the issue.
  • “Stonewalling is an attempt to self-soothe.” —Dr. John Gottman [78:23]
  • “I need to take a break, and I’ll come back in half an hour when I’m calmer.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [81:29]

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Flooding: Emotional Overwhelm in Conflict

• What is Flooding? Emotional overwhelm, fight/flight activation, high heart rate (often >100 BPM).
• Looks Different: Men often avert gaze or leave; women might stare blankly but remain present.
  • “Flooding means you’re facing a saber-toothed tiger. Your heart rate spikes, you shut down.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [47:34]
• Key Antidote: Breaks with committed return, active self-soothing.

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Rituals of Connection & Daily Practices

• Why Rituals Matter: Prevent relationships from devolving to logistics only (“parallel lives”).
  • “Only 35 minutes a week couples talk...mostly errands.” —Dr. John Gottman [31:24]
• Examples:
  • Annual “honeymoon” with three key questions (“What sucked...what did you love...what do you want next year?”).
  • Daily good morning/good night rituals.
  • Weekly “State of the Union” check-ins: Start/end with gratitude, raise and address complaints in the middle.
  • Personal gestures like leaving loving notes.

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Turning Toward vs. Turning Away/Against

• “Small moments of responding to bids for connection—comments, touch, looks—predict marriage success.” —Dr. John Gottman [83:17]
• Turning Toward: Attuned, positive response to a partner’s bid.
• Turning Away: Ignoring.
• Turning Against: Hostile response.
• Statistic: Only 33% of bids for attention are met in couples who split, compared with 86% in stable marriages.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “When your partner’s upset about anything, the world stops, and you listen.” —Dr. John Gottman [07:42]
• “Contempt is not only the best predictor of relationship demise, but also the best predictor of how many infectious illnesses the listener will have in the next four years.” —Dr. Julie Gottman [43:03]
• “The goal of conflict is mutual understanding. Postpone persuasion and problem solving until you really hear your partner.” —Dr. John Gottman [88:37]
• “Respect is as important as affection.” —Dr. John Gottman [65:09]
• “Helen Fisher taught us that being in love has no shelf life. You can be in love for 35, 40, 50 years.” —Dr. John Gottman [91:03]

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Action Steps: Applying the Gottman Method

If you do one thing after listening...

• Listen First, Respond Later: Buy a notebook. When your partner says, “We need to talk,” pull it out slowly, take notes, and listen deeply before responding.
  • “Get that notebook out slowly. Open it slowly, get your pen out, and listen.” —Dr. John Gottman [88:37]
• Practice Repairs: If things get heated, call it out (“I’m feeling defensive”). Take breaks when flooded and revisit the discussion with a calm mind.
• Build Small Rituals: Establish small daily or weekly connection rituals to nurture friendship and positive interaction.
• Turn Toward: Notice and respond to your partner’s bids for connection.
• Use “I feel” statements: Especially when tempted to blame or criticize.

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Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Intro & Setting the Stage: [00:00–06:31]
• Purpose of Conflict & Listening Tools: [06:31–13:05]
• Love Lab & Predicting Relationship Success: [13:05–18:39]
• First 3 Minutes of Conflict: [18:56–24:44]
• Role Play: Destructive vs. Constructive Arguments: [20:10–27:04]
• Real-Life Rituals for Connection: [33:03–36:56]
• The Four Horsemen Explained: [42:42–58:32]
• Flooding & Physiological Responses: [47:17–50:08]
• Repairs Demo for Each Horseman: [50:08–74:01]
• Turning Toward vs. Turning Away: [83:14–87:29]
• Final Advice and Emotional Closing: [88:37–91:31]

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a masterclass in the science of healthy relationships, rich with practical advice, heart, humor, and warm role-modeling from the Gottmans. Whether you’re single, partnered, or somewhere in between, you’ll walk away with specific tools to improve your relational life and a reinvigorated belief in the power of love and connection.

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“You deserve love, connection, respect, and kindness. And now you have research-backed tools from the world-renowned Gottmans to use and to share for the rest of your life.” —Mel Robbins [93:34]

Transcript

[A]

Hey, it's your friend Mel. And welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. So this year, my husband and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. I know that's a long time, and people often ask me, mel, what is the secret to a lasting relationship? And I'll tell you. I joke. I say, mary Christopher Robbins. Cause the dude is so calm. Me, on the other hand, I am the eruptor, the volcano, the hurricane. And here's the truth. Like every relationship, we have conflict. We fight, we have frustrations, we irritate each other. We've had our ups, we've had our downs. But let me tell you something. Because of what I just learned in the episode that you're about to listen to with two of the greatest relationship researchers of all time, I am so excited to go home to Chris tonight and to practice everything that I just learned. And, by the way, apologize for a lot of what I saw in myself that was not so great for Chris over the years. And you're gonna leave this episode feeling so excited about love, excited about what's possible. I cannot wait for you to experience the magic of Dr. John and Dr. Julie Gottman, who have spent over 50 years researching the science of relationships. The Gottmans are going to role play the the four biggest behaviors in every single relationship that drive people apart. And by role play, I mean they're gonna have the arguments. I kid you not. This is so incredible, because you're gonna see yourself. You're gonna see your current partner. In fact, you may even relive a moment with an ex and understand why you're not together anymore. But more importantly, the Gottmans are gonna teach you exactly how to handle conflict in a way that diffuses tension and brings you closer together rather than tearing the relationship apart. And if you're sitting there thinking, well, you know, we don't really fight. I don't need this. They will tell you avoiding conflict is why you feel disconnected and lonely. If you're thinking, well, I'm not really in a relationship right now. I don't really need this. Oh, yeah, you do. And the reason why you do is you don't want to keep repeating the same mistakes. You're gonna feel so empowered. You're gonna know yourself better. You're gonna know what to avoid and actually what to do. And just. I mean, the humanity of all of this that you're about to learn and laugh, oh, my God, you're gonna tear up. You're gonna feel excited about being in love again. So whether you're dating. You're single, you're married, you're divorced. Get ready for the gift of the Gottmans. Mazda has been named Consumer Reports Safest new car brand. It starts with our approach. Every Mazda comes standard with proactive safety features so you're more aware of what's around you, more focused on the road ahead and ready before problems ever start. Mazda More of what matters most to you. Go to Mazda, you, USA.com to learn more. Consumer Reports does not endorse or promote any product. This message is brought to you by Apple Card Spring always feels like a reset, clearing things out, simplifying what you don't need. Apple Card is built with that same idea in mind. No annual fee, no late fees and no foreign transaction fees. No fees, period. Get started and apply in the Wallet app on your iPhone today. Subject to credit approval. Variable APRs for Apple Card range from 17.49% to 27.74% based on creditworthiness rates as of January 1, 2026. Existing customers can view their Variable APR in the Wallet app [e-mail] Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch terms and more at applecard.com. Hey, it's your friend Mel. And welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. It's an honor to spend this time with you. If you're new or if somebody sent this episode to you, I want to personally welcome you to the Mel Robbins Podcast Family. Today in our Boston Studios, we have two world renowned researchers who have spent 50 years researching what makes relationships thrive and what makes them fall apart. I'm talking about none other than world renowned Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman and her husband, Dr. John Gottman. Over the 50 years that they've been researching love and relationships, they've published hundreds of academic articles. They've written 52 bestselling books on love, marriage and conflict. They run the most famous relationship research lab in the world. They are the founders of the Gottman Institute, which trains clinicians all over the world in the science of fostering and sustaining greater love and health in relationships. They are, quite simply, every couples therapist's favorite couples therapist. And if you don't have any experience in couples therapy, well guess what, you're about to get it for free from the single greatest researchers in the world. They literally wrote the book on it. They have flown all the way across the country to be here for you. And trust me when I tell you, you're about to fall in love with them. So please help me welcome the extraordinary Dr. John and Dr. Julie Gottman to the Mel Robbins podcast.

[B]

Oh, we're so happy to be here, Mel. Thank you.

[A]

Oh, honor's mine. Honor is mine. You know, I would love to have you start by just thinking about the things that thousands of couples that you have researched and this extraordinary body of work that spans 50 years, and speak to the person who is listening right now and share what might change about their relationships if they really take to heart all of this research and wisdom, and they apply it as soon as they're done listening.

[B]

Beautiful. I think two things I would say that really change. One is that hopefully conflict, which is absolutely normal in every relationship, becomes more calm, more gentle, and more constructive. Also more compassionate, because the real theme of conflict is to understand your partner better. It's not to tear your partner down. It's to really get inside their world and understand where they're coming from. So hopefully that might take place after listening to your beautiful show. And I would say, secondly, maybe they do more to express gratitude. Maybe they ask more questions of their partner to really understand where their partner is at here and now, internally. They may have known them when they were first dating, knew that world, but people evolve and change. So who are they now? Asking questions draws that out.

[C]

Yeah, I would say that in all the 54 years of studying couples, and my friend Bob Levinson and I started this research way back then, and neither of us had a clue about what makes relationships work. We went from one disaster to another. And if I was going to boil it down to one thing, I have this invention that I keep in my back pocket, and it's a little notebook, and I keep it there all the time. And if Julie utters the four terrifying words, we need to talk, I get out my notebook very slowly so I can delay my reaction. I get out my pen very slowly, and I open the book up very slowly. And then I say, okay, baby, talk to me. What's on your mind? What's on your heart? And I write down what she's saying. And the more defensive I feel, the more I take notes and slower down. Because I think the one thing we've discovered is that the masters of relationships, the ones who are happy and stay together, really seem to have a motto that when your partner's upset about anything, the world stops and you listen. And this is my way of listening, taking notes and doing it very slowly so I can calm down and not react quickly by saying something I'll regret later on.

[A]

I want to just.

[B]

It's okay. It's okay, honey.

[A]

You know what's adorable about you two. And if you're listening, I'm just gonna describe it. If you're watching this episode, you will have already seen it, is that you both keep turning toward one another and smiling and you have this very warm, loving gaze at one another as the other is talking.

[B]

How can you not love this? This is beautiful.

[A]

And you also are, like, holding hands. And there's a physical touch connection.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Which is extremely noticeable because you don't see it all that often in couples. And I wanted to just unpack the genius of your response, Dr. Gottman, to those four terrifying words. We need to talk.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Which I'm also realizing sometimes I don't give Chris the grace of preparing him for the fact that I'm about to blast at him like a volcano. But what I loved, because I do think there is something very intentional about what you just described that as you're imagining Dr. Gottman. And he leaned forward and he reached into his back pocket and he pulled out a notebook that's like the size of a three by five card.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Or you opened it up slowly and then you said you started to write, and that is your way of listening. But it's so important to also point out as you're hearing this that you are also managing your reaction exactly in the middle of what could become an argument or conflict.

[C]

Yeah. Delay is the way of engaging the frontal lobes instead of reacting direct from your amygdala, which is terror, and defensiveness comes out. So when you engage the brain, the thinking brain, then you can be a little less defensive.

[B]

Yeah. Let me add, you can be less physiologically aroused. One of the things that we found in our research is that oftentimes people can be sitting as calmly as John and I are right now, having a conflict, but one of their heart rates will be over 100 beats a minute, and they've gone into fight or flight, which means blood has left this prefrontal cortex, moved back into the motor cortex. They cannot think clearly, listen clearly, problem solve, and be creative. It's impossible because this is offline. So by John pulling out that notebook very slowly, there's a couple of ways. It's wonderful. For one, it keeps you calm. It keeps you more focused on kind of the cognitive element of what I'm saying, as opposed to Diddy. Did she really say that? Or. Or for me, what it tells me is that, gosh, he's gonna take me seriously. Right. He's not gonna be thinking about, okay, when do I get the oil changed in the car? I Can tell that he's listening because he is taking notes. And that's meaningful for me. It helps me to feel his presence. And it's a wonderful thing for all of you to do as well.

[A]

I love that. And I could imagine Dr. Gottman reaching. Hold on, let me get my notebook out of my pocket here. You study love in a lab. What does that mean for the person that's not familiar with your groundbreaking foundational research on relationships? What do you do?

[C]

Yeah, so Julie and I, after we first met, you know, we designed this apartment where 130 newlywed couples, just a couple of months after the wedding, would spend 24 hours. Cameras rolling, no instructions, you know, they have an opportunity to eat together, clean up together, you know, read the newspaper, watch tv, whatever they want to do. And the cameras are just rolling. And while they're walking around, we're measuring their heart rate. They're measuring all kinds of physiological measures. Every time they urinate, we take a blood. We take a sample and measure stress hormones, and then we take blood from them the next day and look at the immune system and stress hormones and immune system. So we're just kind of watching couples, and it turns out that we can predict the future of the relationship six years later from the way they interacted in that apartment lab. So the prediction is really 94% accurate at predicting the future.

[A]

So you could predict with 94% accuracy who was going to make it and who wasn't.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

This is like the original reality tv. It sounds like you guys invented the format.

[B]

That's right. Let me add also that this brilliant man over here created a fantastic system for codifying emotions. That means looking at the face, looking at the movements of the body, looking at the words, the tone of voice, the eye gaze, and assessing from that, what emotion is that individual feeling when they speak, then what's the other individual going to respond with? What kind of feeling is that? So we call that spaff specific affect, which means emotion specific affect coding. And that in itself tells us a huge amount about the dynamic. Who's being belligerent, who's being domineering, who is being subordinate, who's being kind, who's trying to make a repair if they said the wrong thing so that the other person doesn't get their feelings from you.

[C]

Or using humor as a way to wind things down. Humor turns out to be very important.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Why is how we handle conflict so important in a relationship?

[B]

Because we fight all the time. We are human beings. You know, one of the things Mel That I have really tried to understand since I was a kid is how come people are mean to each other? Why is that? What's evil? What does that even mean? What I've really understood from lots of archeological reading and so on, is that people have aggression. They've also got altruism. They can be very, very kind. But all of us have those aggressive instincts inside of us. So what happens with it? Typically, it goes to the person that's closest to us because that person, we assume is not going to abandon us, is not going to run away. They're going to be there to listen to us. And so we have personality differences from our partner, lifestyle preference differences from our partner. Everybody has those. And 69% of the issues couples struggle with are perpetual conflicts. They never, ever go away.

[C]

That was a big surprise to us.

[B]

Yeah, so they just keep coming up, right. Over and over and over again in some different format through the side door. So what do you do with that? Well, people can avoid those. Sweep them under the rug, but, you know, they don't have conflict. But they grow more distant, typically over time. Or they can learn to really talk in a way that's calm, little bit of emotion, maybe a little more intellectual, you know, trying to solve the problem very fast. We call those validators. And then there's me. I'm a volatile, like maybe you are. And we love to explode. We love to be passionate about expressing our emotions.

[C]

And I'm a conflict avoider.

[B]

It's a great combo. So we figured it out over time.

[A]

We're going to get into these different types. But before we do, I wanna just talk a little bit about the research because it's so fascinating. You've already mentioned that by observing a couple in this apartment love lab, you could predict with 94% accuracy whether or not they were gonna be together in six years.

[B]

That's correct.

[A]

And we're gonna get into what you were looking at. That really was the signal that they're not gonna make it. But there's also interesting research that you have around how the first three minutes of a fight predict everything.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Let's hear about that.

[C]

You know, Bob and I found that if we had couples talk about a conflict issue for 15 minutes, we could predict with almost 90% accuracy whether they would divorce or stay together. And if they stayed together, how happily married or unhappily married they would be. But then somebody in my lab, Sybil Carrera, said, what if we lop off the data from the last 3 minutes and we only have 12 minutes what's the prediction like with only 12 minutes of data? And it was just fine. And she said, well, let's lop off another three minutes. And it was just fine. She got down to the first three minutes, and we were still predicting the future of the relationship very accurately by just looking at that first three minutes. Because couples who really are gonna wind up divorced or together unhappily start off the conversation really differently from couples who are we call the masters of relationship. That beginning is so important now.

[A]

I'm like, okay, well, what's the beginning that predicts divorce and breakup versus the beginning that doesn't?

[B]

I have an idea. Let's role play it.

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

Let's role play it.

[C]

Sure.

[B]

All right. So this is predictive of going down.

[C]

Yeah. Well. So I wanted to talk to you about this. I really think that you're really ruining this marriage, and it's your responsibility because you're being so obsessive compulsive.

[B]

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

[C]

Let me finish.

[B]

I'm not going to let you finish. You're such a slob that, you know, I can't even walk through the living room.

[C]

I am charmingly sloppy, but you are really a nut. I mean, you're. You need therapy. You really do. I mean, everything has to be perfect for you. Everything's gotta be perfect.

[A]

Well, that's right.

[B]

And I need therapy just to live with you.

[C]

I don't even want to talk about this anymore.

[B]

All right.

[A]

I feel like I now know what it's like to be a marriage therapist.

[B]

Oh, you ain't seen nothing that could be worse. I once had somebody who was so upset, so flooded, and she was all of about 4 foot 10, and her husband was 65 and had cheated on her, et cetera. So I tried to calm her down. She finally sat down on the couch, and my couch was a beautiful, red leather, gorgeous couch. When she left, there were scratch marks on the couch that.

[A]

That can. I bet her heart rate was up.

[B]

I bet it was.

[C]

That's fine.

[A]

So unpack what was happening in that. Because I think that we've all experienced those kinds of fights, whether it's about the relationship or now you're arguing about, well, you're giving the kid too much money and da, da, da. And you're over parenting and, like, you know, aiming it like, what was happening in that fight you just had?

[C]

So I was describing the problem in terms of her personality being deficient, that there was something wrong with her. It was all her Fault.

[B]

So you, you, you, you. That's all he was saying. And of course, I got defensive and I counterattacked. That's a classic form of defensiveness. You counterattack. Right. So then I moved into you, you, you, you. And it was all about character flaws.

[A]

He's a slob.

[B]

That's right.

[C]

And all I'm doing is trying to give her feedback about what's wrong with her so she can improve. Because I'm pretty much perfect as far as I can tell.

[B]

See this? It's a halo. It's a halo.

[C]

It's not a yarmulke. It's a halo that God gave me. So I'm always innocent, and it's always her fault. That's the way the disasters argue and notice.

[B]

Did you see any listening there?

[A]

No.

[B]

Zero listening. Right?

[A]

Zero.

[B]

That's right. So people were talking over each other and immediately coming up with their rebuke before even hearing the last words of their sentence.

[C]

And the partner, right away, persuasion enters. I'm trying to persuade her that I'm right and she's wrong, you know, And I haven't even listened to what her concerns are.

[A]

The other thing that happened is the volume started getting higher and higher and higher because neither one of you were listening and you're both blaming. And now you're trying to talk over one another. And then you both went like, huh.

[C]

And if I'm physiologically flooded, I think all I need to do is repeat myself louder in order to be more persuasive. That's the way I reason when I'm

[B]

flooded 63 times later. Have I listened? No.

[A]

What does a positive argument look like?

[B]

Okay, let's role model that. We can use the same topic.

[C]

Okay? Yeah.

[B]

Okay. So what's going on, honey?

[C]

Well, I'm kind of thinking that I can't do anything right. You know, I've tried. I've tried, you know, being neater, more tidy, cleaning things up and, you know, it's never good enough for you. It feels like that and like. Like I can't satisfy you. It's just like I kind of give up, you know? What am I supposed to do to make you happy?

[B]

Oh, God. That sounds actually like a pretty terrible feeling.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So you're really frustrated because there's nothing you can do that you feel is good enough. Is that right? Am I making you feel that way?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, dear. What am I doing that leads to you feeling that way? Because I don't want you to feel that way.

[C]

I don't want to treat you that way. You Know, like, for example, you asked me to clean up the kitchen, you know, so I clean it up, you know, and it doesn't meet your standards. So I don't even know what your standards are.

[B]

I mean, do you want me to tell you what they are? Probably not.

[C]

Well, no, that would help. I really would like to know. Yeah.

[B]

Oh, God.

[C]

Because I think I've done it just fine.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

And then you're disappointed. I just don't get it.

[B]

I see. Well, I tell you what. What would make a huge difference for me.

[C]

All right.

[B]

Is after.

[C]

Let me. Let me write this down.

[B]

Okay. That's a great idea. Get out your notebook.

[C]

Yeah. Hang on a minute.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Let me just breathe a little bit. Okay.

[B]

So I promise I won't hurt your pants.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

After washing the dishes, it would be wonderful if you would wipe down the counters. You know, just get all those crumbs into the sink and then rinse them down the sink. That's really all I need. Just to have counters that are clean. That would make a huge difference for me.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

It would be great.

[C]

You know, I really can't tell when the counter is clean or not because it's got, you know, you got this pattern of, you know.

[B]

Yeah, this is true. This is why I chose a counter with brown in it. It would disguise all of.

[C]

I. Just wipe it down really well.

[B]

Just wipe.

[C]

Yeah, just.

[B]

That's all you have to do.

[C]

All right. All right.

[A]

Would you mind doing that?

[C]

No, I'll do that.

[A]

Yay.

[B]

My God.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

I love you, too.

[C]

Thank you. That makes sense.

[A]

You are adorable.

[B]

We're okay.

[A]

Can you explain what just happened in that conflict?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, Easy. So it started. It started in a perfect way. Way. Which was John bringing up that he's feeling bad about an interaction of ours. But notice he's not saying, you're a schmuck, and that's why I feel bad. He's saying, I feel like I can't do anything right. So is you in there? No. He is having that feeling which pulls on my heart. Melting. He's being vulnerable with me and telling me what his feeling is like. And that feeling I'm translating into, oh, God, he's feeling hopeless. He's feeling despair. I don't want him to feel that way. But here's the kicker. I want to understand what's making him feel that way. So instead of just responding with, you know, just a comment, I ask a question to try to understand. Tell me more. Tell me more. Because, you know, it's sort of like if Something pretty smelly is bubbling up from the earth. I want to know what's under the earth. You know, what's going on down there. That is creating something that feels bad for him. So I ask him a question, and that gives me information about, oh, that's what's happening inside. That's something that we can change. It leads to a solution.

[A]

I love this example, and I'm gonna tell you why. I personally know that Chris and I, for years, would have this reoccurring fight. And when I'm volcanoing and he's turtling, when he pokes his head out of the shell to say something, it would literally be, nothing's ever good enough for you.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think that's a very common way that people then bark at each other. And it's very different to say, well, nothing's good enough for you. I don't even know what to do because it's never enough for you versus what you just taught us, which is, instead of accusing enough, it's you. I feel that no matter what I do, it's never enough.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And you're right. As soon as Chris started saying that to me, I immediately feel like a monster. And then I want to know, okay, well, what exactly? I'm sorry. And I can see why this works.

[C]

Sure.

[A]

Right, Right. You know, if couples fight the first way, yelling at each other, it's never enough for you. Find door slams, go into your corners. Is there hope?

[B]

Sure, of course. You know, the thing is this. When in our lab, we saw couples who were going down the road of distress, remember, they weren't getting any intervention. They weren't reading anything. They weren't listening to fabulous podcasts like yours. They weren't trying to learn a different manner of relating to one another. So without intervention, they're falling back on old habits, on what they learned at the feet of their parents or caretakers, which didn't work. So, you know, Nobody takes Relationships 101 in high school. You got to learn different ways of talking to one another.

[A]

When somebody says to you, oh, we never fight.

[B]

Mm.

[A]

What do you think?

[B]

I think they're probably conflict avoiders. And I think, oh, dear, we've gotta help this couple surface, unearth the differences, the things that are irritating. Annoying, because if you hold them inside and you don't bring them up, after a while, they accumulate, and then you may end up with an eruption. Right. Which doesn't help anybody.

[C]

One thing that can happen we saw in this study that the Sloan center at UCLA did on Dual Career couples with young children, and they spent less than 10% of an evening in the same room. They talked to each other an average of 35 minutes a week. And mostly what they talked about was errands, who's going to do what, when. So they wound up really living these parallel lives where they ignored the relationship, they ignored friendship, intimacy, fun, adventure. They were just. Their lives had devolved into this infinite to do list that they did together. But that was the only contact they had. So they lived life in parallel. You know, he goes to work, she goes to work. They come home, they're with the kids, but they're not really talking to each other. They're not saying, God, you know, we used to have so much fun, and we don't have any anymore. We're just kind of becoming drudges. They don't say that to one another. They say roommates, they stay roommates. They avoid conflict. They avoid saying how lonely they are, how unhappy they are, how much they miss the way they used to really pay attention to the relationship.

[A]

If the person listening is thinking, well, that's me. Because I can think of periods of Chris and my marriage where we have three kids who are now all in their 20s. But when they were little, that was us.

[C]

That was you.

[A]

We were two ships passing in the morning and the night and arguing about who didn't go to the grocery store. And that no matter what I do, it's never enough.

[C]

Yeah, you have to build in rituals of connection in the relationship, build in times that you can count on having your partner's ears. And, you know, we have an annual honeymoon that we do, and for 27 years we've gone to the same bed and breakfast and took. Took our kayak. And we spend two weeks asking each other three questions. What sucked about last year? What did you hate about last year? What did you love about last year? And what do you want next year to be like? So we have that ritual where we know we can connect and it's romantic and it's fun and we kayak and we hike and it's always magic.

[B]

Let me point out, though, what John is talking about, especially for really busy two career couples, are those rituals of connection. But they don't have to be great big broadcasts. They can be something so simple. Like, how do you say good morning first thing when you wake up? How do you say good night? And you look forward to that. What do you do on the weekends when you get to sleep in? How about a date night? You know, I mean, lots of people Talk about that. But do they actually do it? So there's so many ways we can connect with one another that sustains the sense that, ah, they're right beside me, they're right there even though they're in a different office.

[A]

I love that recommendation because I do think when you're in that moment, as the research suggests, which I think most couples are both probably working cause of the reality of how expensive life is and coming and going and that only 35 minutes a week. I mean, that's just sad.

[B]

Can you imagine?

[A]

And I appreciate the small thing like, could you create something first thing in the morning? Could you create something that's part of the wind down at night? One of the things that I remember that made a big difference, and I'll just share it in case it's helpful for the person listening, is since logistics was the reality and it was also the source of all of our conflict, the one connection ritual that really changed things was we had a Sunday night calendar meeting. That doesn't exactly sound like a date night, but it became a consistent thing we could do every week. That helped us be aligned and helped us coordinate the logistics at one.

[B]

Beautiful.

[C]

You were a team.

[A]

Yes. And to this day, we do it.

[B]

That's great.

[A]

And it's just the smallest of things. And the other thing that I have to give a huge shout out to Chris that he does that makes a big difference for me is he puts little notes, just kind of like the notebook you have. He'll rip out a page and just put, I love you. And I'll open up my eyeglass case in the middle of the day.

[B]

Aw.

[A]

And there it is. Beautiful. Or I'll open up my wallet. And there it is. And I had no idea that he had done that. And so it's kind of this little signal that I'm still here with you, even though I may not be standing next to you.

[C]

You know, a consistent research finding is that you cannot just focus on conflict as a therapist. You have to work on friendship and intimacy, romance, passion, play and fun. You have to work on all of that together. It's. It's not enough to just make conflict better. You really have to bring, you know, the two souls together in a way that is. It brings joy into the relationship.

[B]

Let me just mention something about your meeting, which is fabulous. Doing that as a ritual of connection. One thing that we also talk about is a weekly meeting which often takes place on Sundays. We call it the State of the Union. Right. And so what we suggest is that first you Begin with gratitude. You think of something your partner has done that maybe you haven't yet thanked them for, and you express your gratitude and your appreciation to your partner for having done that. You know, so often we take our partners for granted, right? Especially after years of being together. So all of us, however, still need to be seen. We need to be appreciated. And so starting with that is lovely. And then in the middle piece, maybe there is a complaint that you have, you haven't talked about, or maybe you had a little regrettable incident that you need to process, clear the air about that, try and understand what went wrong, wrong during that and what to do right next time. And then you end the meeting with another appreciation, another expression of gratitude. I mean, there's nothing better than hearing gratitude as a sign that, look, you're visible. You're important to me. I see who you are. I love what you do, and I want you to know I recognize you and you're beautiful.

[C]

And a great question to end the meeting with is, what can I do next week to make you feel loved?

[B]

Is that the best question in the world? I know.

[A]

You guys are so incredible. I don't want to take a break, but I have to hit the pause button so we can give our extraordinary sponsors a little love. And listen, if you're thinking of a friend, a sister, a brother, anyone who's walking on eggshells at home or keeps replaying the same fight on a loop and you keep hearing it about it, send them this episode. One of the most loving things that you can do for people is to give them a resource like Dr. Julie and John Gottman. And don't go anywhere, because a little later in the show, the Gottmans are gonna walk you step by step through how you can bring up something that you're afraid, afraid to talk about without it turning into a big fight. You do not want to miss this, so stay with me. There's a difference between liking a house and actually getting it. Redfin is built to close that gap. Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents, so when you find a home you love, you're not a step behind when it's time to make an offer. That means less watching great homes disappear

[B]

and more zeroing in on the one you'll actually end up calling home.

[A]

Redfin helps turn saved listings into real addresses. Get [e-mail] own the dream. The Mel Robbins podcast is proudly sponsored by Amica Insurance, our exclusive insurance partner. You know when someone finishes your sentence because they already understood what you needed. That's what working with Amica feels like. They don't guess, they don't assume. They take the time to understand what you're trying to protect and why it matters. Most companies talk, talk, talk about putting customers first. Amica really does it. You feel it in the way they listen, the way they follow through, the way they treat you. As a customer owned company, Amica puts your needs first. Visit amica.com and get a quote today. This is a paid ad by BetterHelp. When life gets busy, isn't it just easy to let your own health slide? You're drained and just not feeling like yourself. It's important to take care of yourself when things get busy. How do you do that? Well, by resting, recharging and saying no when you need to. In fact, I just got back from the Let Them tour. It was an incredible experience. I loved meeting so many of you. But you know what I'm doing now? I'm taking a beat. I'm resting up for what's next. And if you're having trouble taking care of yourself, therapy with better help may help you better understand your needs. Feel more confident setting boundaries, saying no and create a rhythm habits that feel sustainable for you. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. Just take a short questionnaire to identify your needs and Preferences and BetterHelp will handle the initial therapist matching. Work for you and you can feel confident knowing betterhelp therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully qualified. Take a pause with therapy, better help can help life feel manageable again. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] Melrobbins that's betterhelp.com Melrobbins. Welcome back. It's your friend Mel Robbins and today you and I are here with Dr. Julie and Dr. John Gottman. They are the world's leading experts on love and what it takes to make a and they're teaching you and me everything we need to know about the four things that'll blow up your relationships and what you can do to break these patterns of conflict. I am so excited about the role playing. So let's just jump right back into the next one. I would love to have us just really highlight the warning signs around conflict and there are four horsemen of the apocalypse in your relationship. What are they?

[B]

Okay, so the first one is criticism. Criticism means blaming a problem on a personality flaw of your partner. Like, you're so selfish, you're so lazy, you're so inconsiderate. Thoughtless whatever. So a characteristic that's bad that you're seeing in your partner, that's criticism. Secondly is contempt. And contempt is the worst one we have. Contempt is like criticism, but you're coming from a place of superiority, looking down your nose at your partner, and you're sneering a little bit. You've got a look of disgust, maybe on your face. There's scorn, there's mockery. Sometimes sarcasm is contempt. And contempt is not only the best predictor of relationship demise, but as John was saying, and I'll fine tune it a little bit, the number of times a listener hears contempt in a conflict for 15 minutes predicts how many infectious illnesses they're going to have in the next four years.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Because it is sulfuric acid for the immune system. Yeah. It's a big deal. The third horseman is defensiveness. We all love defensiveness. Everybody's defensive unless they have an ego of a rock. I haven't met a rock lately. So defensiveness gets manifested as either counterattack, as we described, or whining innocent victim. Oh, I did too clean the kitchen. What do you mean? Okay, I love whining. It's great. And then there's stonewalling. And stonewalling is completely shutting down, but it's not shutting down for just a few seconds, you know, to come up with the right phrase. It's shutting down completely for minutes. Minutes? Minutes. Long minutes. Maybe hours at a time. And what brilliant John here and his colleague Bob Levinson discovered with physiology is that when a person was flooded, they were in fight or flight. Their heart rates were often over 100 beats a minute as they sat there.

[C]

And they started stumbling and they started

[B]

stonewalling in order to go inside and try and soothe themselves. Because being in fight or flight while you're sitting there feels awful. Makes you sick.

[C]

So that turtle thing that Chris does. Right.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

You know, and he's just trying to calm himself down, but to the person speaking to him, it looks like he doesn't care.

[A]

Correct.

[C]

And he's he. And tuned out.

[A]

You can't yelling. I'm yelling because he's, like, not responding.

[C]

That's right.

[B]

So it makes it worse.

[A]

Yes, I can see that.

[C]

Well, the other thing is that Bob and I also, as we kept following couples, we found there was a group of couples who didn't do the Four Horsemen, but when they talked about the events of the day, there was no connection. And they even went out of their way to show that they were bored with their partner talking about their day. So it's not that they had all this negative stuff. They didn't have very much positivity, not very much interest in one another, not very much shared humor, affection. And those couples divorced an average of 16 years after the wedding. They last longer, but it's still disastrous.

[A]

I would love to go deeper into all four of the horsemen of the apocalypse of a relationship. Could you describe for the person whose listening right now, what do you mean by flooding? So if somebody's never heard this term and they're not quite. And you know, I think there's a. It's kind of obvious if you're like the stonewalling or rather you shut down and you're like the turtle or you're a volcano like me. But can you describe what does it mean to have this emotional flooding and what are the kind of personality types of flooding, if you will. So the person can see themselves as we unpack the four different horsemen, if that makes sense.

[B]

Sure, sure. So first of all, there is no correlation between personality type and flooding. Anybody can get flooded. Anybody, first of all.

[A]

And what does that mean when you use that term, flooded?

[B]

Okay, so what it means is that you are so overwhelmed by what feels like facing a saber toothed tiger. So what's happening is you're hearing what feels like an attack. It may not be one, but it feels like one. And because it feels like an attack, right. And it's a dangerous attack, it's threatening, it sets off this fight or flight response. And so men who experience this and get flooded are going to look like this. They give themselves permission to look away. To look away. But a female doesn't typically. And here's why. Because you know, as women from, you know, this high, we are trained to relate to others, to nurture others, to take care of care of others. Right. To be sensitive to others feelings. So we don't give ourselves permission to break contact and look away. So what flooding for a woman looks like is very different. It looks like this

[A]

and you're just kind of staring.

[B]

Nobody's home.

[A]

No one's home.

[B]

Nobody's home.

[A]

Blank face.

[B]

That's right. You may be meeting the other person's eyes, but nobody's home. You've taken yourself out.

[A]

I just realized my daughter does that.

[C]

Ah.

[A]

When I get like scary that she.

[C]

A deer in the headlights.

[A]

Yes. Doesn't know what to do.

[C]

That's right.

[A]

Okay, that was very helpful. Cause you're right. And I know that this is all based on your research, that for a lot of men it's the crossed arms. It's the looking away. It's the walking out of the room or going to make a drink as you're walking. Like, following them, yelling at them. Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And it feels kind of awful in your body. It's almost like having a panic attack. The breathing is more shallow and more rapid. And it really feels like there's no way to win here. I mean, you just have to escape.

[A]

Yes, I can see that. And you're escaping your body or the room.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

That was super helpful. Let's dig into each of the Four Horsemen and start with criticism.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

How is criticism defined in the research? And I'd love to have you role play.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

A example and teach us how we can shift out of it when we're in the middle of it.

[B]

Let me just mention that the shifting that you are pointing out, which is very astute, is what we call repair.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So making a repair during a conversation is a great way to step aside from those Four Horsemen and make the conversation flow better.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. So, again, I think the definition of it would be blaming a problem on a personality flaw of your partner. That's what it is.

[C]

Let me start.

[B]

Okay, go ahead.

[C]

I've been meaning to talk to you because I think that I have something to teach you, you know. Well, no, I noticed that, you know, you kind of get upset when the house is in some kind of disarray. And I don't have that problem. You know, I can concentrate really well, you know, whatever's going on around me. So I can kind of teach you to focus your mind more. Because I think your mind is kind of weak, you know, I think your. Your mind is not.

[B]

You think your mind is weak?

[C]

Yeah, I think you have a weak mind. And I can help you strengthen your mind. Not as much as I am.

[B]

Than you did.

[C]

What?

[B]

I don't have a weak mind. What are you talking about?

[C]

Well, I'm just trying to be helpful to you. You know, I'm trying. I'm trying to help you strengthen your mind so it's more like my mind.

[B]

I tell you what. Go help the dog. Okay. Not me. Okay. So that's criticism. All right. Got it.

[C]

Let's show them the antidote for each.

[A]

Yeah. So how do I do that?

[B]

We're gonna. So I'll make a repair.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

So why don't you pick up?

[C]

Yeah. You know, like I was saying, you know, I really can help you focus your mind better and be more. Much more like me, you know?

[B]

Honey?

[C]

Yeah?

[B]

I need to tell you I'm really feeling defensive right now.

[C]

You are?

[B]

I don't want to be defensive, but I feel that way. The way that you're describing me feels to me like a put down.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

Can you say what you want to say in different words?

[C]

Well, okay. I think it'd be great if even when there were a lot of books around and papers around that you were okay with, that you didn't get upset.

[B]

Whew. Tall order. Well, I tell you what, I hear you, and I know that I probably come across as a nag sometimes. I'm sure I do.

[C]

I would say that, yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I bet you would. But, you know, I think I can spend some of the time feeling comfortable with everything scattered around. However, I think you probably know me well enough to understand that when my environment feels chaotic just to me, it may not be to you, but it is to me. Then I get all discombobulated inside. I feel really disorganized. And so all the papers and so on contribute unfortunately to my having that feeling. I wish I wasn't like that, but

[C]

I am, because I, I, I think that a house ought to be a little bit messy to be comfortable.

[B]

Yeah, I know. You do.

[C]

My mom used to clean, clean the place to within an inch of its life.

[B]

You know, I love your mom.

[C]

And she put plastic on all the furniture.

[B]

She was crazy. That's true.

[C]

I remember. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Okay, well, you don't have to sit on plastic. Okay. It's okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

All right.

[A]

Beautiful. And I saw you repaired by using. I.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

I feel.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

I feel defensive. So when you're getting criticized saying, I

[B]

feel defensive right now instead of going defensive. Right, right. Instead of counterattacking.

[A]

Yes. Or stop criticizing me.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

I feel defensive. That's the repair for criticism.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Got it. Beautiful. On that note, how about we take a quick break and let's let our sponsors share a few words with you. And don't go anywhere. Coming up, the Gottmans are gonna talk about what you need to start doing to turn toward your partner and the mistakes that you are making in the micro moments that are pushing your partner away. We can fix that, and the Gottmans will show you how when we return. So stay with me. When it comes to your health and wellness, trust matters. Whether you're working toward fitness goals, building a wellness routine, or just stocking up on everyday essentials for your family, where you shop really matters. And that's why I want to tell you about our new sponsor. Iherb it's your one stop shop for vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition, personal care and even grocery, baby and pet products. For nearly 30 years Iherb has delivered wellness products sourced directly from trusted brands to more than 15 million customers around the world. And here's what sets them apart. There are no third party sellers on Iherb's website or app, so you can shop confidently knowing that for supplements and sports nutrition products, brands provide certificates of analysis and select products are independently verified through the eye Tested Lab program too. And if something doesn't meet your expectations, Iherb makes it right with easy returns and simple refunds. Visit iherb.commel and use code MEL20 for 20% off your order. That's iherb.commel with code MEL20 if your group chat is thrown around, we should get away Consider Scottsdale, Arizona. It has everything for everyone in your family and your friend group, like luxury resort rates starting at just $109 a night and you can choose whatever you want. Epic resorts with water parks or quiet pools where the only plan is leave me alone while I sit by the pool and I read my book and I tan my body. Then you can layer in all kinds of stuff that makes vacation feel like vacation. Sunrise, yoga, stargazing, summer specials at area spas and if you have a friend or a partner who likes golf. Hello Scottsdale Sunrise tee times at world famous courses at rates that are way lower than usual because it's summer and are you a foodie? Scottsdale has award winning restaurants so whether you're into shopping culture, there's so many indoor air conditioned places like museums, boutiques, art galleries and the Southwest largest shopping mall. So don't let the heat scare you away from one of the most magical places in the world. Visit summerinscotsdale.com and start planning your trip. As we all know, care feels really different when it's personal. That's why UnitedHealthcare is all about putting care at the heart of your health insurance. Behind the phones, screens and services are real people who care about helping when it matters most. That human connection is what makes UnitedHealthcare different. They make benefits, costs and care options easier to understand while helping you connect to doctors, clinics and specialists in your community. Learn [e-mail] care. Welcome back. It's your buddy Mel Robbins and today you and I are here with the world's leading Experts on relationships, Dr. John and Dr. Julie Gottman. I told you you would fall in love with them. And aren't you in love with Them. I know I am.

[B]

All right.

[A]

I'm so glad we're back. Let's just jump right back in. Let's move on to contempt.

[B]

Okay, you wanna define that one, Hunt?

[C]

Yeah. Contempt has this air of superiority. You know, I'm better than you.

[A]

Can you show us what contempt looks and sounds like and how it is different than criticism?

[C]

You can't do anything right, can you?

[B]

What are you talking about?

[C]

God, I mean, you know, even when you go shopping, you spend too much money, you know, you spend too much money on clothes.

[B]

So what?

[C]

You know. You know, so what? Well, we're trying to save for a down payment on a house, and you're ruining the whole thing. You just spent.

[B]

I'm ruining the whole thing.

[C]

Right, Right.

[B]

How dare you? You just went out and bought a Porsche, for God's sakes. And I'm.

[C]

I need that for my work. I need that. I. You know, I wouldn't spend it if I didn't need it for my work

[B]

to take it back. I need to take it back. Okay, so that's one example. So it's judgment, but from a place of superiority.

[A]

What about the eye rolling and the like?

[C]

Well, I was thinking of an example that one of our therapists talked about seeing this couple, and she was being contemptuous. And he said, do you think you're better than me? And she said, better than I

[B]

usually. Boom. Wow. Isn't that a killer? Correct their grammar. That's a great way to be contemptuous. Ouch.

[A]

I have a couple in my life that's uncomfortable to be around because as one person's talking, the other one is, like, rolling their eyes.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

As they leave the room, they complain about them. And why is contempt the most harmful? And let's start there.

[C]

Why it's really a murder attempt at the person's sense of self. And the Jewish Talmud talks about it as murder. You're destroying the other person's sense of self, and you're saying you are worthless. And that's the worst attack. It's not just something you do that I don't like. But I don't like you.

[B]

Right. I call it value you. I call it character assassination. That's what it is.

[A]

And do people that are contemptuous, actually. Are they able to recognize it?

[B]

Not always. Usually the listener is the one who recognizes it. You know, the other person usually has a pretty heavy sense of entitlement that they deserve to say that. But let me also add something about why it's so destructive that, you know, a lot of people don't really think about and acknowledge. But none of us got parented perfectly right. None of us got taught with absolute appreciation in school. So all of us have, at base, at least a part of ourselves that's insecure, that needs to be loved, that needs to be cared about. And some people like to say that that's immature or, you know, you're just not a grownup. And I would like to say to them, no, that's wrong. We are all have that inside ourselves. We don't lose that core of insecurity and the need to be looked at with care, with love, with understanding, to be spoken to with respect, even admiration. None of us lose that. We just add layers on top of it as we grow older. But it's still inside there, and it can still get hit. If somebody expresses contempt, that makes a lot of sense.

[A]

So if you're the one that's getting stepped on and demeaned and interrupted and corrected by your partner, how do you repair this?

[B]

Okay, so here's how I would repair it. Let's say he's just been contemptuous. So, you know, John, there's no way that I can hear what you're saying right now because I feel so insulted by what you're saying. I don't know if that's your intention or not, but I feel like shrinking away. I want to just disappear. I don't want that because it's. It. It really. I feel really hurt by what you're saying. So I wish you would flip what you just said on its head and tell me what you do want or you do like, rather than this wave of negativity I'm getting, I feel like

[C]

I'm judging you big time. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

That's what it looks like.

[A]

And when you get somebody that says, I am judging you now, you're like

[B]

realizing, okay, okay, well, that's okay. So let's say I am.

[C]

You know, I'm just trying to give you feedback, honey.

[B]

The effect of the feedback and the way that you're giving it to me pushes me away. It makes me want to run away from you because it hurts so much feedback. I can hear if you're telling me what you do want, not what you don't or what you don't like.

[C]

Good point.

[A]

Amazingly helpful. Yeah, I love that. I feel insulted.

[B]

I feel hurt.

[A]

Because what ends up happening when it's you that is getting stepped on is you tend to flood and you don't know what to do.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That's Right.

[C]

Yeah. Respect is as important as affection.

[A]

Respect is as important as affection.

[C]

Yeah. Especially for women. I think today women need to feel that their partner values and respects them and as much as they respect anybody. So one of my New Year's resolutions was let me try to treat Julie with the kind of respect that I treated my father with. And I had to work on that and become self aware of ways in which I was not communicating respect. For example, it takes her longer to get ready than it does me. So, you know, I would get in the car and wait for her. And while I was in the car, I was saying, what the heck? Why does it take? You know, by the time she came out to the car, I had worked myself into a frenzy, you know, of anger about this thing. And, you know, instead I sat in the car and said, you know, she. There's a lot of really important stuff that she sees that I don't see at all. And she needs to get those things done before she feels ready to leave the house. So I think I'll just read my novel. And whenever she comes out, you know,

[A]

this was an issue in our marriage too.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Chris would be sitting in the pickup in the driveway, running. And I'm still putting my makeup on. And then I'm running around the house looking for my keys. Cause I forgot that he's driving. And when I would then get in the car, he would be really frustrated.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'd get an earful about it. And now I try a little harder. And he's usually listening to an audiobook when I get in the pickup truck. It's been running for 11 minutes. I've shaved like four minutes off. He is the best ever. The third horseman of the Apocalypse of your relationship is defensiveness. What is defensiveness and why is it so automatic? You know, like, it's just like you just kind of feel like you should defend yourself. What should you do instead?

[C]

You know that lawyer that I talked about, he was amazing at not getting defensive when his wife was criticizing him. And he really was saying, she's got an important point. I just don't know what it is. I have to help her get to it, you know, But I'm so. She's got something she really wants to tell me that's important. And he had that attitude, very respectful, you know, And I think that's the attitude you've got to take instead of saying, I'm innocent, you know, I have no responsibility in this. I'm pretty much perfect. If there's anybody defective, it's you. That's a really bad attitude because you're not going to listen if you have that attitude.

[A]

I would love to hear you guys role play. And if you could do an example where one of you wishes the other one would either lose weight or take a little better care of themselves or, you know, get a trainer or actually pick up the weights that we bought last year and use them. You know what I'm saying? And that, you know, and then the other ones, because I think this is something that is.

[C]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Yes, that's a hot issue.

[A]

Yeah, it's a hot issue.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Okay, so let's say, let's say you criticize me, you know.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

For, you know, having a tummy and. But you're really worried about my health. It's really. Yeah.

[B]

Okay, let's see. John, I need to talk to you about something. You know, I know that you love sitting and reading your books. Right. Especially your mathematic books.

[C]

Yes. Right.

[B]

Which I cannot understand one page of.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But honey, I'm. You know, you really, really, really should go to the gym more often. You really should. You're only going to the gym like once a month. That's not going to do anything for your body. That's. I mean, you know, your body's starting to get a little kind of flabby or something. I mean, just that belly is going out further and further.

[C]

Well, I think I'm fine.

[B]

You think you're fine?

[C]

Yeah, just. Yeah.

[B]

Honey, the thing that I'm worried about, and this is true for both of us, is that we're both getting older. Right. And you know, you've read all the newspaper articles about being fit. Really adds years to your life. Being healthy. Exercising is one of the best things you can do.

[C]

I just read this article about a guy who's a long distance runner and he had a heart attack while he was running and he was 40 years old. So I don't think exercise is such a great thing. But, honey, a lot of these athletes are pretty stupid.

[B]

Oh, sweetie. What they found is that there was a heart defect there. It wasn't the running that caused it, it was the heart defect.

[C]

But you don't think he overdid it?

[B]

No, I don't think so. But if you don't exercise, I'm really afraid that you may suffer a heart attack. Right.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I don't want to lose you. I do not want to lose you. And so I'm wondering, how can I support you going to the gym more often? Or does that Feel too controlling?

[C]

No, I think. What if we went together?

[B]

Love it. Would you be willing to make the time?

[C]

Yeah, if I can swim, sure. I like to swim.

[B]

Swimming is great.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Swimming is one of those.

[C]

I haven't been in a long time.

[B]

You haven't?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You want to do it again?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, yay.

[C]

All right.

[B]

That would be terrific.

[C]

Okay. Okay. I'll work on it.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

How do you tell someone that it's not that you're worried about them, it's that you're losing interest in them?

[C]

No.

[B]

Okay. That's a good one.

[A]

Because I think the exercise thing is a big one.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I know, you know, like, really taking care of yourself. And yes, there's the. I'm afraid something that's going to happen, but it's also like, I actually am pulling away from you because I'm not proud to be with you or I am losing my attraction to you.

[B]

Okay. I have something I want to talk to you about that is super sensitive.

[C]

Uh.

[B]

Oh, I know.

[C]

Let me get my notebook.

[B]

You better get your notebook. And let me preface it. Let me preface it by saying, I adore you. I love you so, so, so much.

[C]

It's nice to hear.

[B]

Yeah. But.

[C]

Oh, it is a but.

[B]

Yep. Here comes the sensitive part. I don't know exactly what's happening, but as you've been gaining weight, becoming more of a sphere instead of a triangle, I don't know, my libido is going down. My sexual interest is declining.

[C]

That sucks.

[B]

Well, it does, because I love you. And I really, really want to express that physically to you. But at the same time, I really, really loved it when you were working out and I could feel the muscles in your back, in your shoulders, your arms. It felt really wonderful.

[C]

So I wrote down, lose weight and get more sex.

[B]

That's a possibility.

[C]

All right. Okay.

[B]

What do you think?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Would you like that? Would you like to get more sex? I'd like more sex. If about 20 pounds melted away, I bet you my sexual interest get that zip bound. Great idea.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Da, da.

[A]

I'm sorry I'm laughing, but you two are adorable.

[B]

And

[A]

we have all been in a relationship like that. The fourth horseman that's going to destroy your relationship potentially, is stonewalling. We've talked a little bit about it, but just so we're clear about what it is.

[C]

Okay. You know, we actually didn't understand it when we first saw it, and we brought men back in and said what was going through your mind right there. So we got this sort of internal monologue that guys were going through and they really were saying, this is hopeless. I just gotta, I gotta endure this. I gotta get through this. And don't say anything because whatever you say, you're gonna make it worse. And, you know, I'm just gonna go get a, get a beer and watch the game, you know, and not think about this. Let me out of here. That's what they were thinking, you know, and it was sad, you know, it was really like, I'm overwhelmed, you know, I'm in a war zone, you know, and there, there aren't any shelters. Yeah.

[A]

Can you give us an example of what this sort of sounds like in a relationship? When one, when you know the man or typically the guy, but often it can be the woman.

[C]

Can be. Yeah. 15% of the time it was a woman stonewalling.

[B]

Right. Well, let's, let's do you stonewalling.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Okay. So I don't understand why you haven't paid the bills. I mean, the bills have got to be paid. Why aren't you paying the bills, man? They're sitting there on the table.

[C]

This is not a big deal.

[B]

It is.

[C]

I don't want to talk about, about this.

[B]

John, it's a huge deal. You're going to ruin our credit if you don't pay the bills. Would you please pay the bills? So what are you doing now? You're pretending I don't exist? You're just blocking me out. Honey, pay the friggin bills. What's the big deal?

[C]

God.

[B]

There. That, that's what it looked like.

[A]

Because we've all seen it and experienced it. And if you were listening and not watching this episode as Julie was, you know, basically telling him what to do and criticizing him, and then the huff at the end is contempt.

[B]

Yes, right, right.

[A]

That exclamation point of you, John, crossed your arms and looked down and looked away. And it is this act of like, there's nothing to do. I just need to endure this until she shuts up.

[C]

Right.

[A]

And that's the only option here.

[C]

Yeah. And also if I say anything, it'll get worse. Yes, it's bad now, but if I say anything, I'll make it worse.

[A]

How the heck do you repair something like that if you are the stonewaller and you've got somebody who's critical of you. Okay, like can the stonewaller. Like can you teach a stonewaller to repair? Because a stonewaller does not trust that it's gonna get better if I say anything.

[B]

Okay, don't forget.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That what goes along with stonewalling is a heart rate over 100 beats a minute. Oh. While you're.

[A]

It looks like you're calm.

[B]

Yes, it does. But because John and Bob had their couples hooked up to physiology, that measured heart rate, we saw those heart rates like through the ceiling. 140, 150.

[C]

And so seconds before they started stonewalling.

[A]

I never, ever looked at stonewalling as somebody who's panicked and overwhelmed. I've always seen this as a power play.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That you're denying me attention and you are trying to just block me out as a way to control me.

[B]

Exactly. And that is wrong.

[C]

Stonewalling is an attempt to self soothe.

[B]

Right. Going inside. Okay. She can't touch me when I watch the game. So the game starts in 10 minutes. I'm going to go watch the game.

[C]

I'll have a beer. I'll calm down.

[B]

Yeah. So let me tell you anything now. Yeah. Let me tell you what the antidote is. It's not saying something. Exactly. The only antidote is to do something to calm your physiology down. Okay, so we've seen the antidote. It is you tell your partner, you need to take a break, that you're flooded. You need to take a break and you tell your partner when you will come back to continue the conversation. And typically the minimum a break takes is 20 to 30 minutes. The most would be 24 hours. What do you do during the break? You do not think about the fight. Because if you keep thinking about the fight and, oh, I should say this, when I go back, you'll stay flooded because you're still hooked into the fight. That is elevating your heart rate. You need to do something else, like reading a book, reading a magazine, watching tv, playing with the puppy. Even going for a run is fine. Taking a walk, doing your email, something that takes your mind off the fight so that those stress hormones can metabolize out of your body.

[C]

You see, and it's especially hard for guys, I would imagine, because, you know, Bob Levinson did a study of startle. You know, you have a gun, a blank gun go off behind somebody. Women feel fear. Men feel a desire to get even, get angry, get angry, get even with the experimenter. They feel, you know, anger, rage about having been startled. And so that maintains the physiological arousal. And it was probably adaptive in our ancestors. Time to stay physiologically aroused when you were hunting or protecting the tribe. But during a conversation with your lover, it's not helpful to stay physiologically aroused. It's counterproductive. Can't listen. Right. So it's a challenge for men during the break to really distract themselves and do something entirely different.

[A]

But the big breakthrough is to utter the words, I am emotionally shut down or I'm emotionally flooded. I'm flooded.

[B]

I'm just, I'm flooded. I'm flooded.

[A]

I'm flooded.

[B]

I need to take a break. And you know, the good thing about saying, I'll be back in 30 minutes is that a lot of people, when you say, I'm going to go take a break, and they go, the other person feels rejected, thinks, oh, great, we're never going to get back to this topic. We're never going to solve this, we're never going to talk about it. So saying, let's come back in a half an hour when I'm calmer and let's try again makes a huge difference.

[A]

It makes a lot of sense. Why is, can we just move on? Why is that one of the biggest mistakes that you can make after a blow up?

[B]

Flooding, you mean?

[A]

Oh, can we just saying that, can we just move on?

[C]

Oh, let's not talk about this.

[A]

Let's not talk about this.

[B]

Oh, God, that's so terrible. Well, the problem in the relationship, when you say, let's just not talk about this anymore, it's another way of saying whatever you're thinking isn't important, so let's just drop it. You're not important. What a message. Right. It's a terrible message. So that's going to tell you, don't do it.

[A]

Yes, that's. That is. You're absolutely right.

[C]

And then there's a loss of trust.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Which is really damaging to the relationship.

[B]

Right.

[C]

I can't trust you to really keep

[B]

your promises or be there for me.

[C]

Or be there for me.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, let's talk about turning toward each other.

[B]

Oh, so important. So important.

[C]

So that's something that one of my graduate students, Janice Driver, really noticed in the apartment lab. There'd be these small moments when one person would try to get their partner's attention or interest or a conversation or show them something they were reading. And the cameras turned to the other person and we recorded the response. And they either responded, you know, or, you know, turned toward, we called it, or they didn't respond at all. Turning away. Or they responded irritably, turning against. And what Janny discovered was that when you look back at the couples who divorced six years earlier, their average percent of turning toward their partners bids for connection was 33%. And the couples who are still married look six years earlier, their average is 86% wow. Rather than 33%. So these small moments are really important. Plus, she also discovered the secret to having a sense of humor during conflict was having a lot of history of turning toward building an emotional bank account of connecting. Then people had a sense of humor about themselves during conflict.

[A]

I want to make sure that as you were listening to John say that, that you got the very helpful distinction of the three things that people do in those micro moments. And obviously, what we wanna learn to do is turn toward one another.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But the thing that a lot of people do is you either turn away or you turn against. And I think it's a very useful tool to ask yourself, am I turning against them when they're trying to hold my hand or engage in a conversation or tell about their day? Am I turning away from them?

[B]

So what turning away means. A lot of people misinterpret that. They think it means, oh, you turn your body away. No, it doesn't at all. It means you completely ignore what they've said. You ignore it. So let's say I'm reading a book and John calls to me from the kitchen. Julie. I ignore him. I keep reading the book. He says, again, honey, do you know where the big fork is? I ignore him as if he never said anything. That's turning away. Turning against would be. Would you stop interrupting me? I'm trying to read. That's the hostility, you see, that comes in turning against.

[C]

Wow. They're really small moments. But the probability that a person will rebid after their partner's turned away is 22%. So only 22% of the time do they say, honey, where's the fork? Or, you know, listen to this. They. They kind of crumple a little bit when their partner turns away.

[B]

Well, of course.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what it reminds me of? You know what a sea anemone looks like? You know, it's this little circle of a. Of a being in the water, in the ocean that has little tiny fingers. And when it's relaxed, all those fingers are spread out towards the center of this little circle.

[A]

Yeah, like if you saw the movie Finding Nemo.

[B]

All the bab.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Okay, so if you poke that sea anemone gently, all those fingers pull back. And then very slowly, it'll start stretching, stretching, stretching, stretching again. Let's say you poke again. That sea anemone is not gonna stretch out its fingers. It's gonna hide. That's what happens.

[C]

Good image.

[A]

That makes a ton of sense. And I Would just love to have you speak directly to the person who's been with us this whole time. Because there's a lot that you have shared. There are so many tools and frameworks, things that you can put to use right now. And also things that you can really reflect on in yourself. Cause you can't change them. You can use these tools to connect more deeply and to strengthen your relationship, but ultimately you can't change them. But a lot of what has happened for me with your work is it's made me understand the things that I'm doing that I need to change that can strengthen the relationship and the things that I can proactively do differently that build better connection. And so I'd love to have you just speak to the person directly. And if they take everything to heart, but they want to do one thing right after they finish listening, what's the most important action to take today?

[C]

Well, I would say that when you realize conflict has a goal, which is mutual understanding. And what you need to do is postpone persuasion and problem solving until you can really hear what your partner is saying, what your partner feels, what your partner needs, what your partner's hopes are. And get that notebook out slowly. Open it up slowly get your pen out and take notes and listen. Because when you do that, you realize your partner is not your adversary. Your partner is your ally at solving a problem together you can be a team that together is more powerful than either person individually. And you solve that problem together. So buy a little notebook and a pen and take notes slowly get out your pen so you can wait at least two beats before you respond.

[A]

Well, I cannot wait to listen to this again with my husband Chris. Maybe it's what we'll do on our. To celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. And I now know what I'm gonna get him. I'm gonna get him a little notebook. Right?

[B]

Right. That's a great idea.

[A]

And you know what I mean.

[C]

And a pen.

[A]

And a pen. And a pen. And one of the other things that I really loved about being with you two is that you reminded me of one of my favorite pieces of advice and truths about relationships that really go the distance and are satisfying for both people. And I first heard this from Jane Sexton, but it's just this idea that you're my favorite person. And being in the presence of the two of you and accept experiencing in person your warmth towards each other, your fondness towards each other, your kindness towards one another, the fun that you have as you are sitting together, it is the little things that are available and right in front of us. And I am so excited to get home to Chris tonight in Southern Vermont because I feel rejuvenated in terms of just that energy between you two, the warmth.

[C]

You know, Helen Fisher taught us that being in love has no shelf life. You can be in love for 35 years, 40 years, 50 years. And we are, you know, and I feel enormous joy in the morning when Julie's in my arms every morning.

[A]

Two are going to make me cry. The Gottmans, everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

[C]

Thank you, Mel.

[B]

Thank you, thank you, Mil, thank you.

[A]

I just love you too.

[B]

Thank you, thank you.

[A]

And thank you. You know, I told you at the beginning of this episode you would fall in love with the Gottmans and didn't you? I mean, how could you not? I am so excited for everything that's gonna happen in your relationships and in your life based on what you just learned. Because the truth is you deserve love, you deserve connection, you deserve respect and kindness. And now you have research backed tools from the world renowned Gottmans to use and to share for the rest of your life. How cool is that? And in case no one else tells you today, as your friend, I wanted to be sure to tell you that I love you and I believe in you and I believe in your ability to create a better life. And the thing that's going to make your life better, better is stronger and more loving relationships. And now you have everything you need to know, do and say to create them. So go do it. Alrighty, I'll see you in the very next episode. I'll welcome you in the moment you hit play. They are the founders of the Gottman Institute which trains clinic, blah, blah, blah. And today they have flown to our Boston studios from the west coast. They have flown all the way across the country to be here for you. One of the most loving things that you can do for people is to give them a resource like Dr. Julie and John Gottman. And don't go anywhere because when we come back because a little later in the show, Dr. Gottman, thank you so much for saying that. I feel like you are. Thank you for Dr. Gottman. Thank you so much for saying, saying that. And now you have all these incredible research backed tools from the world renowned Gottmans, ladies and gentlemen. Oh, and one more thing. And no, this is not a blooper. This is the legal language. You know, what the lawyers write and what I need to read to you. This podcast is presented solely for educational and entertainment purposes. I'M just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist and this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it?

[B]

Good.

[A]

I'll see you in the next episode.

[B]

SiriusXM podcast.

[A]

Do you ever wish you could relive some of the most meaningful moments in your life? Like that legendary birthday celebration, your milestone wedding anniversary, or the day you walked across the stage to get your diploma? You can't turn back time, but you can revisit your favorite moments and feel those big feelings all over again with a Hallmark Card. Opening a card from the past takes you back to the times you felt loved, celebrated or supported. A card makes you feel closer to someone you miss. You can feel the excitement of new love, be reminded of how much a friend cares about you, or laugh over a long forgotten inside joke. When you give a Hallmark Card, you give friends and family a reminder of the relationships, the emotions and the moments that make up their meaningful, magical life. So when you want to make the moment last, make it a Hallmark card. Find the perfect [e-mail] or wherever Hallmark cards are sold. The Mel Robbins Podcast is brought to you by Home Instead. Home Instead provides in home care to help older adults stay safe, comfortable and independent in the place they love. It's not about taking anything away, it's about adding support, companionship and peace of mind for families. Navigating what's Next Home Instead is an approachable home care partner that helps make this transition feel more manageable so families don't have to figure it out alone. Contact Home Instead [e-mail] Mel and begin your A better what's Next.