How to resolve a fight

A fortnightly column about emotional well-being Taking responsibility for feelings and clearly expressing concerns to partners is the first step in resolving a conflict

- Sonali Gupta

42-year-old client tells me, "Every weekend we end up fighting so much so that I have begun to hate Saturdays. I fear that my partner and I will get into a squabble over something inane and it will spiral into something massive that's impossible to solve. It's exhausting and what's worse is that these fights end up spoiling Sunday, and by the time we resolve matters, the weekend is over and we are back to work."

A lot of couples bring up this concern during therapy sessions. Most couples know how the weekend evokes emotions and conflicts and yet find it hard to break the pattern.

The weekend is when people give themselves permission to pause, examine things and as a result, issues which were not addressed during the week rise to the surface and lead to a conflict. Over the years, new client referrals and people reaching out are at their highest during the weekend.