maybe it was the don’t-you-dare-side-with-your-mother-fight. whatever started the fight doesn’t matter; what does is that it was a doozy, one that left a smoking crater and will have inevitable aftershocks. the key is to prevent them in the first place. communication and taking the time to listen can make a big difference in healing the rifts and preventing spats from reaching nuclear proportions. fights will happen, but major blowouts don’t have to be a part of a relationship.” still, the …

one of the biggest problems in communicating is that most couples have a basic misconception of what the purpose of communication is. the only thing that you and your partner each needs to bring to the conversation is something that each of you can be sure of: your own thoughts, feelings and perceptions. look at your partner and think of what you could reveal about yourself to him-her at this moment. however, the more that you communicate on this level, …

fighting consistently can also lead to a troublesome relationship, and if handled poorly, could end the relationship altogether. if you’re in a relationship where you find yourself fighting more than having fun with your significant other, rest assured, there are ways to stop fighting and enjoy each other more. taking criticism or statements from your partner as personal only adds fuel to the fire. be receptive to what the other person has to say and internalize it, asking questions if …

some degree of conflict can even be healthy, as it means both people are expressing themselves, rather than keeping everything inside and letting emotions fester. but if you’re arguing all the time, or simple disagreements end up in a hostile silence or screaming match, it can really start to take a toll on things – or even leave you wondering whether you’re all that compatible in the first place. it’s how you deal with it that counts. it can be …

it’s just that she screams “kind of like the queen in alice in wonderland,” uttering phrases reminiscent of “off with their heads.” neil responds like most guys in marriage fights. “everyone in a relationship argues,” debbie mandel, author of addicted to stress, says.

if both are hearty “boxers” who love a few rounds in the ring and then are ready for some make-up sex, the marriage is probably fine. experts on wedded bliss — some with the pedigree of education …