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Ever find yourself in those cringe-worthy moments when a conversation takes a turn for the awkward, heated, or just plain uncomfortable?

Ever felt tongue-tied or sweaty-palmed at the thought of a tough talk?

Ever found yourself squirming in your seat at the thought of addressing a sensitive topic with your team?

Ever felt a surge of anxiety at the thought of discussing finances, marriage, or kids with your partner? 

We've ALL been there. It's a common struggle and you are not alone. 

Your professional and personal success depends on your ability to have those tough chats...

That's where The Art of Difficult Conversations comes in.

We give people the skills they need to show up authentically during tough chats.

 

We teach people how to "fight" better.

The ADC is the ultimate toolkit for mastering these tough talks with finesse.

You'll walk away knowing how to:

🌟 Confidently navigate conversations you've been avoiding.

🌟 Communicate in a way that’s clear, understood, and leads to action.

🌟 Authentically show up yourself during tense situations with friends, family, or partners when discussing your needs.

🌟 Respond and not react when tempers are high and reason has been thrown out the window.

🌟 Cultivate a team culture where conflict leads to innovation instead of avoidance.

🌟 Make meetings productive spaces for decision-making, not battlegrounds or silence zones.

🌟 Transform feedback sessions into opportunities for growth rather than tension.

🌟 Find a balance in leading with empathy without sacrificing your own well-being.

 

Words From Our Students

Oh my god! The research behind this course! The way they organized SO MUCH useful knowledge in this super user-friendly, well organized, and beautifully laid-out course. Masterful! I think any facilitator, community leader or peace builder would really benefit from having access to this wealth of resources. For individuals looking to develop richer, deeper relationships, this will also give you all you need to start understanding how to cultivate more authentic bonds, and navigate the ups and downs of relationships with more ease. Fantastic course all around.

- J.L.

Great course! Even though I’ve done Authentic Relating games I learned so much! It’s packed full of info- anatomy of conversations, power dynamics, differences in language and how to navigate them, understanding and enforcing boundaries, great examples (unexpectedly funny and relatable), tons of tools, and much more. It’s pretty digestible too, I highly recommend doing it with a partner or buddy and make sure to join in on the weekly fight labs, practicing this content is key to creating change. Thank you Geof, Sara and the AR team for sharing this course!


- C.R.

The most impactful, yet simplest of the tools that I applied was mirroring and tactical empathy with my daughter. She is 9 years old, autistic and often resists the chores of daily life. Getting her to take a bath can be particularly difficult and result in meltdowns. On several occasions now, employing playful and obvious mirroring has helped to re-establish connection and de-escalate the situation to the point where she willingly took a bath. Yay!

 

- B.A.

If you ever invest in a conflict resolution program, this is hands down the most effective, practical, time-saving one I have seen so far.

 

- E.J.R.

Anyone that longs for deepening their understanding in relating and value depth: This is for you. I've noticed how much more I got curious and reframed "difficult" in conversations. Even some of my family members that tend to go in withdrawal and shutting myself off when they start to ramble - i found the different relating languages tools where I am and meeting that, and directing in a new way. Meeting relationships with this new skill set is something that is incredibly fun and helpful to stay connected in a rejuvenating way.


- C.M.

If only everyone was brought up with these skills and info! Indispensable, priceless and profound...potentially life-changing and certainly conversation-changing, if you dig in and apply the tools shared!


- S.J.

Upcoming Courses

8 weeks of training to confront all the difficult conversations in your life.

Fall 2025 US/EU

Online

Wednesdays for 6 weeks
October 8th - December 3rd

12-3 PM CT
7-10 PM CET

Want a Australia/US-evening friendly version? Contact us and if there's interest, we'll add one!

ADC One Payment

8 weeks of conflict support and skills, for considerably less than divorce mediation.

$444.00 USD
Enroll Now

ADC 3 Payments

8 weeks of conflict support and skills, for considerably less than family therapy.

3 monthly payments of $148.00 USD
Enroll Now

ADC + 1:1 Coaching

Dive into our 8 week program paired with 3 - 60min - 1:1 coaching sessions to make the most out of YOUR journey.

$844.00 USD
Enroll Now

Want to learn at your own pace?

We're currently beta-testing an on-demand version of the ADC.
Get it for a discount!

the Art of Difficult Conversations - BETA

Master the conversations you’ve been avoiding, for good. The Art of Difficult Conversations is a practical, research-backed course designed to help you speak with clarity, hold your ground, and stay connected when it matters most.  

$147.00 USD

How about an in-person retreat?

We're considering hosting an ADC in early October, in Boulder CO or Austin TX.

If you're interested let us know!
 

The Live Online ADC includes:

Practice Labs & On-Demand Lessons

  • Eight 3-hour-long, highly experiential weekly classes 
  • Optional 90-minute Fight Labs where you can practice difficult situations real-time
  • Recordings of all sessions, in case you miss one or want to re-visit the content!

The Essential Course Manual

  • A 70-page e-book including:
  • Meticulously researched conflict interventions
  • Practical exercises to try
  • Structures and models to conceptualize conflict
  • An ample supply of memes 

Personalized Support & Resources

  • Membership in the ADC Community
  • Access to discussions on course content
  • Resources shared regularly throughout the course
  • Opportunity to join practice triads
  • Weekly conflict skill-building prompts

 

FAQ

Sign up for the Art of Difficult Conversations email series, and get conflict tools to use anytime!