Keyword: conflict

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Never Stand on Your Side During an Argument January 28, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Arguments fail not because people disagree but because each side stays locked in its own perspective. Armand DiMele, with co-hosts Ben Starr and Giullian Gioiello, examines what people really want from arguments (to be understood, not just to win), the difference between constructive and destructive conflict, and why buried anger corrodes intimacy. Callers share stories of dog walks, debt collection, and distant partners.

The 36 Dramatic Situations in Life with Jeff Kitchen January 13, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Anthony, Beverly, Dennis, Giullian Gioiello, Jeff Kitchen, Lisa Arnone
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

All human conflict reduces to 36 dramatic situations, argues screenwriter Jeff Kitchen, and Armand DiMele uses that framework as a live diagnostic tool. Callers work through father wounds, romantic entanglement, and a longing to be loved, revealing how classic dramatic patterns play out in ordinary lives.

The 36 Dramatic Situations with Jeff Kitchen January 13, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Anthony, Beverly, Dennis, Dr. Annalisa Erba, Giullian Gioiello, Jeff Kitchen, Jonathan Raskin
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Personal Growth & Change

Human life maps onto just 36 dramatic situations, a framework screenwriter Jeff Kitchen shared with Armand DiMele. Using Georges Polti’s classic book as a lens, Armand and co-host Giullian Gioiello take live calls and show how real struggles, from tyrannical fathers to fear of love, fit ancient dramatic patterns.

Nagging and the Pressure to Change with Dr. Doe Lang May 1, 2013

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Communication & Conflict, Love & Romantic Relationships

Constant pressure to change a partner is a guaranteed formula for resentment, and possibly hatred. Armand DiMele unpacks why nagging backfires whether or not it works, and Dr. Doe Lang joins to discuss charisma, breathing, and the inner resources that give people real influence over their lives.

The Spiritual Path in Love and Marriage with Robbie Gass and Judith Gass January 16, 2013

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Judith Gass, Robbie Gass
Category: Love & Romantic Relationships, Meaning, Spirituality & Philosophy

Long-term love requires peeling back the projections we bring to romance and confronting our own patterns, not just our partner’s flaws. Workshop leaders Robbie Gass and Judith Gass join Armand to discuss self-responsibility, the deadening of passion, and simple practices like eye-gazing and shared breath that rekindle genuine connection.

Exasperation in Close Relationships September 25, 2012

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Exasperation quietly poisons relationships, and Armand DiMele argues it signals a timing mismatch between feeling and expression. He traces how suppressed frustration leads to stonewalling, and proposes practical resets including conscious pausing, the smile technique, and ending every conversation with “I love you.” Callers share stories about estranged children and grandchildren.

The Power of Neurotic Functioning April 4, 2012

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Identity & The Self

Why do people sabotage peace and quiet? Armand DiMele argues that neurotic behavior, from triangulation to volatile relationships, is not weakness but a disguised grab for power. Recognizing that hidden payoff, he suggests, is the first step toward finally choosing the high road.

Love is the Grease on the Gears of Life December 27, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Linda Vanella, Michael Jessen
Category: Emotions & Inner Life, Love & Romantic Relationships

Love, Armand argues, is what keeps us moving through life, and sex is what keeps love alive. With Linda Vanella, LCSW-R and Michael Jessen, Armand explores why the very traits that draw us to a partner eventually become their most irritating qualities, and what it takes to push through that reversal into a deeper connection.

Discernment and Passive Aggression in Relationships December 28, 2010

Host: Armand DiMele
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Why do couples end up screaming about toothpaste? Armand DiMele argues that the real fight always happened days earlier and went unnoticed. He traces how unspoken irritation builds into passive aggression, how unmet needs distort perception, and why infidelity is often just an exit from a conversation nobody knew how to have.

The Art of Confrontation July 1, 2009

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Sherri Siegel
Category: Communication & Conflict, Emotions & Inner Life

Confrontation can connect or destroy depending on how it is used. Armand and co-host Dr. Sherry Siegel, M.D., a neurologist, trace confrontation from childhood power dynamics to workplace disputes, examining what makes it skillful or destructive, how body chemistry fuels anger, and why finding common ground often works better than open conflict.