Conflict Reflection Paper

In my opinion, conflict occurs when two or more parties experience tension due to unmet needs, miscommunication, or differing values. There are several conflict styles that people adopt in an attempt to resolve that friction. Allan Edward Barsky, author of Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions, explains that social conflict “exists when two or more parties have differences in beliefs, values, positions, or interests, whether the divergence is real or perceived” (2014, p.16). I believe that the last portion of Barsky’s statement is important to consider. Conflict can exist and be valid in the eyes of either party depending on their viewpoint of the situation. An individual’s reality and perception of conflict could be stemmed from

At times where members did not feel comfortable to healthfully and kindly speak about their differences, my family feared that conflict would tear our dynamic apart. However, this method did just that. When I was eleven years old, my parents underwent a divorce. After a lot of reflection, they believe that this occurred because of a lack of understanding of one another’s needs and communication of their underlying

However, I believe that I am less avoidant towards issues and more accommodating. This style is widely known as the people pleasing strategy. Barsky claims that accommodators “have a low concern for their own needs and high concern for the needs of others” (2014, p. 47). I appreciate this method because I selflessly put the demands of others before my own. Unfortunately, I often experience burnout easily because I do not take care of my own needs. In addition, my side of a conflict often goes unspoken if I do not feel like it would be worth it to potentially damage a positive relationship with others. These tendencies tend to be fairly consistent regardless of my location. Whether I am at home, work, with friends, or in the company of strangers, I repeatedly use the same methods in conflict. The only slight difference may be my behavior in conflict at home and with close friends. If I feel comfortable around someone, I am more likely to open up about my honest feelings around the conflict at hand. However, I make sure that I speak the truth through a loving, understanding, and empathetic