Conflict reduction - and instead of "but."

Welcome to another instalment of Psychology Skill of the Week with school psychologist Dr Carla Humphrys.
This week Dr Humphrys is talking about reducing conflict and simply substituting the word "but" for the word "and" when you disagree with another person.
This can help to do the following:
Demonstrate your understanding of another person's thoughts/feelings and also communicate your own thoughts/feelings. For example, "Mum, I know you're upset because I didn't do well on my assignment, and I believe I tried my best and it was a really hard assignment.
Acknowledge the other person's perspective of the situation while also letting them know your perspective. For example, "I know that you think I haven't been around much, and I think that I've tried to reach you even though I have been really busy."
Demonstrate that you have heard their ideas/suggestions while also sharing your own. For example, "I hear that you would really like to go to the beach, and I was really looking forward to going shopping."
While these videos are related to psychological themes, the content does not constitute therapy and it is not a substitute for professional mental health help or medical care. Please seek assistance from a qualified mental health or medical professional to obtain advice or psychological treatment that is tailored to your specific needs. *