One person dominates every discussion
Anonymous discussion. Educational guidance only; not medical, psychiatric, legal or emergency advice.
One person speaks a lot, explains everything and decides the direction of the conversation. The other person gives up or says very little.
Conversation imbalance can become a power imbalance when one person’s voice consistently sets the reality.
A communication problem is rarely only about the words used. It usually has three layers: what was said, what was heard, and what each person believed the message meant. The safest starting point is to slow the conversation down and check meaning before defending yourself.
Before acting, separate facts, feelings, needs and patterns. A relationship improves when people can name the pattern without attacking the person.
Practical next steps
Use turn-taking: each person gets two uninterrupted minutes before either person responds.
Use one calm sentence: "The pattern I want us to change is..." Then ask, "What can each of us do differently this week?"
Clarifications and reflections
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