By Cynthia Kivland

“When you’re furious, you can’t be curious.” - John Gottman  As an advocate of positive psychology, I am encouraged by the recent research and emphasis on how positive moods can serve as an antidote to the negative emotions that can arise in conflict. According to Patricia Viscomi, Associate Director, Center for Conflict Dynamics (http://www.conflictdynamics.org/index.php), “by managing one’s emotions, a person can improve their chances of using constructive behavioral responses to deal with conflict”.