Surviving Family-Get-Together Season
by Miki Saxon
Thursday is the opening of family-get-together season; a time of high stress for many, i.e., a time of battles, large and small.
This is also the time of year that the media trots out dozens of therapists, coaches, etc., to advise on how to handle family get-togethers.
But I think they miss the point.
Connecting for a better relationship isn’t the aim when Uncle Harry drinks too much and starts on his standard rant of what’s wrong with today’s society, etc., etc, etc.
What’s needed are hardcore negotiating skills.
And who better to share them in time for the start of family-get-together season than real hostage negotiators who handle potentially violent confrontations for a living?
I have often wondered, How might a hostage negotiator help the average American family get through Thanksgiving? (…) Surely these are matters for professionals who’ve received months of intensive training in crisis intervention?
Perfect.
Read the article, practice on a like-minded friend between now and Thursday and you’ll have the skills to handle everything Uncle Harry, cousin Rebecca or anyone else might throw your way.
Flickr image credit: Tambako The Jaguar
