👫 Half-Day Couples Conflict Resolution Workshop
 
From Conflict to Connection: Tools for Healthy Communication
📍Location: TBA
🕒 Time: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM

🗓️ Workshop Agenda

8:30 AM – 8:45 AM | Welcome & Opening

• Light refreshments and check-in

• Facilitator welcome and overview

• Ground rules for emotional safety

• Icebreaker: “One thing I admire about my partner is…”

8:45 AM – 9:15 AM | Why Couples Fight: Understanding Conflict

• Brief teaching: root causes of conflict (stress, unmet needs, miscommunication)

• The “conflict cycle” and how it repeats

• Common triggers in relationships

Activity: Couples identify their top 3 recurring conflict topics

9:15 AM – 10:00 AM | Conflict Styles & Communication Pitfalls

• The 4 Conflict Styles (based on Gottman’s 4 Horsemen)

• How to recognize your go-to conflict pattern

• Healthy alternatives: Soft start-up, taking ownership, managing tone

Interactive Practice: Rewriting a recent argument with a new approach

10:00 AM – 10:10 AM | Short Break

10:10 AM – 11:00 AM | Communication Tools for De-Escalation

• Active listening and validation skills

• How to use “I” statements effectively

• Time-outs, tone-setting, and repair attempts

Couples Practice: Use a guided worksheet to role-play a productive conflict conversation

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Rebuilding Connection After Conflict

• What reconnection looks like (repair, reassurance, emotional bids)

• Apologizing in meaningful ways

• Expressing needs without blame
   

Partner Dialogue Exercise: Guided sharing prompts:

• “Something I’ve learned about you today is…”

• “When we argue, I want to try…”
   

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Building a Plan for the Future

• Couples create a “Conflict Resolution Agreement”

• Identify two healthy habits to bring home
   

Optional Sharing: Couples share a takeaway with the group
Facilitator closes with encouragement and resources

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Connection & Closing

• Q&A and reflections

• Resource handouts and optional follow-up sign-up

• Thank you + exit survey or feedback form
   

🧰 Provided Materials

• Printed worksheets and communication tools

• “Healthy Conflict Workbook” 

• Couples conflict style quiz

• List of local counseling resources or online support