How to Improve Any Relationship by Thinking Like a Therapist

Whether you want to strengthen your marriage, be a better parent, or get along better with your boss, learning to see people like a therapist can be a powerful way to do it.

By far the biggest mistake I see people make in their relationships is getting stuck in problem-solving mode .

When we're stuck in problem-solving mode, we immediately respond to anything difficult or painful as if it was a problem: We analyze, judge, dissect, compare, evaluate, and interrogate. And while all of these problem-solving approaches are helpful if you're building a bridge or solving an equation, they tend to backfire when applied to people.