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We’ve all experienced what John Gottman refers to as physiological “flooding,” or Diffuse Physiological Arousal (DPA). It’s the “fight or flight” response that kicks in when we’re upset and our heart rate exceeds 100 BPM.
If left unchecked, our research has shown that flooding can lead to either escalated conflict or stonewalling and, ultimately, emotional disengagement.
So what do you do when your clients are flooded in front of you?
Join our Gottman Pro Newsletter mailing list and we’ll send you free resources below on how to address flooding in your practice.
The Five Secrets to Calming Yourself: A downloadable handout showing you how to effectively calm a flooded person, using a relaxation exercise adapted from our bestselling Gottman Relationship Guides.