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The Three-Part Skill of Real Dialogue: Using Mindfulness in Conflict

CE Hours 1

About this course

Do you find yourself frustrated by therapeutic impasses with either your individual clients or couples who repetitively engage in the same conflicts?

Are you almost ready to pull your hair out because some clients do not listen to what you have said and continue to do exactly the opposite of what you say? The skill of Real Dialogue will bring relief through some quick pointers for what to do in the face of repetitive conflict, conflict avoidance, and defensiveness in yourself and your clients. The skill of Real Dialogue has three components that may sound familiar, but are unique to Real Dialogue, because it is grounded in knowledge of unconscious emotional traps and polarizations.

The first component, Speaking for Yourself, emphasizes the importance of being a responsible speaker with the clear knowledge that you do not possess exhaustive knowledge of the truth or objective facts. The second component, Listening Mindfully, shows you how to enter into the speaker’s frame of reference with the intention to “make sense” of the communication—not to validate, refute, or debate it. The third component, Remaining Curious, invites you to speak and listen with the present moment awareness—maintaining openness to what is unfolding, even when it evokes discomfort or challenges existing assumptions.

Real Dialogue offers therapists an alternative to frustration and defensiveness. Here’s an opportunity to learn more and get one free APA CE credit!

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the three aspects as mindfulness practices to increase concentration and equanimity.
  • Explain why our perceptions (seeing/hearing/feeling) are subjective and not objective
  • Explain the significance of the difference between Speaking for Yourself and using "I-statements."

Course Instructor(s)

  • Polly Young-Eisendrath, PhD

    Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D., is a psychologist, writer, speaker, and Jungian analyst who is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont. She has published 19 books including, The Self-Esteem Trap: Raising Confident and Compassionate Kids in an Age of Self-Importance and Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. She is the co-author, with Jean Pieniadz, Ph.D., of Dialogue Therapy for Couples and Real Dialogue for Opposing Sides: Methods Based on Psychoanalysis and Mindfulness. She maintains a clinical practice in central Vermont. In 2009, Polly received the Otto Weininger Memorial Award from the Canadian Psychological Association for outstanding lifetime contributions to psychoanalysis.

    Polly hosts the popular podcast Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space, which examines the current fads, fictions and potentials of psychedelics, meditation and other kinds of awakening. Her podcast ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom provides a fresh look at human hostilities and what to do about them. She is a lifelong Buddhist practitioner and a Mindfulness teacher.

References

  • Greenwald, A. G., Dasgupta, N., Dovidio, J. F., Kang, J., Moss-Racusin, C. A., & Teachman, B. A. (2022). Implicit-bias remedies: Treating discriminatory bias as a public-health problem. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 23(1), 7-40.
  • Mandal, E., & Lip, M. (2022). Mindfulness, relationship quality, and conflict resolution strategies used by partners in close relationships. Current Issues in Personality Psychology, 10(2), 135–146. https://doi.org/10.5114/cipp.2021.111981
  • Park, C., & Harris, V. W. (2025). Associations Between Mindfulness and Conflict Resolution in Couple Relationships: Dyadic Data Analysis. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2025.2469171
  • Pieniadz, J., & Young-Eisendrath, P. (2021). Dialogue therapy for couples and real dialogue for opposing sides: Methods based on psychoanalysis and mindfulness. Routledge.
  • Young-Eisendrath, P. (2019). Love between equals: Relationship as a spiritual path. Shambhala Publications.

CE Process Info

Content

  • The Three-Part Skill of Real Dialogue: Using Mindfulness in Conflict
    1 parts
    • The Three-Part Skill of Real Dialogue: Using Mindfulness in Conflict

  • Joint Accreditation (JA)

    In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

  • American Psychological Association (APA)

    Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSEDSW)

    CE Learning Systems SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0060.

  • New York Education Department for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSEDLMHC)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology (NYSEDPSY)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0016.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy (NYSEDMFT)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.

The Three-Part Skill of Real Dialogue: Using Mindfulness in Conflict
You Have Completed This course
$35
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    1
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Jul 2nd, 2025
  • Expires on
    March 1st, 2026

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