Flannel People Podcast
Conversations about conflict, clarity, and what comes next
Two shows exploring the human side of difficult conversations. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Two Podcasts—One for Divorce, One for Conflict Generally
Latest Episodes
Anatomy of Conflict
"I Feel Like You Don't Listen" Is Not a Feeling
Everyone told you to start with "I feel." Nobody mentioned that what comes next is almost never a feeling — it's a prosecution. Five studies, one fMRI machine, and a live tarantula prove your brain knows the difference even when you don't.
Anatomy of Conflict
Why Your Apology Made Everything Worse
You said you were sorry. Their face went flat. Sound familiar? Research shows that the apology most of us default to — the partial, hedge-your-words, "I'm sorry you feel that way" version — actually drops resolution rates below what happens when you say nothing at all. This episode walks through the neuroscience and the data on what a real apology requires, and why it's the hardest easy thing you'll ever do.
Untying the Knot
Suit in Court, Hat in the Office: How One Guy Scaled 7 Divorce Firms & What AI Means for Your Divorce
Xavier Martine, the backward-hat-wearing owner of 7 divorce law firms, reveals how AI is about to completely transform family law — making most traditional firms obsolete while delivering faster, flat-fee divorces.He shares the brutal truths about billable hours, emotional hand-holding that AI can never replace, and his mission to deliver “steak for the price of a hamburger” in one of the most stressful areas of law.Whether you're a lawyer trying to survive the next 5 years or someone facing divorce, this episode exposes what the future of family law really looks like.
Untying the Knot
Edinburgh Mediator: The Card Method That Unlocks What's Really Going On!
What if the key to resolving conflict was in a deck of cards? This week, Julie and Ryan sit down with Doug Richards — Edinburgh mediator, thistle enthusiast, and accidental tarot scholar — to geek out on why people fight, how they freeze, and what it actually takes to get them unstuck. We go deep on behavioral archetypes, brain states, Scottish stoicism, American pragmatism, French confrontation, and why the courtroom might just be an emotional escape route. Equal parts practical and a little woo — in the best possible way.
Anatomy of Conflict
I'm Bringing Tarot Cards to My Next Mediation
Cookies. Tarot cards. A jousting pillow. Why a 3rd object between two people changes the neuroscience of the room. Three episodes of expert interviews distilled.
Anatomy of Conflict
Every Fight Is a Disguised Bible Story
40 years of high-stakes mediation. The lesson? The fight is never about what people say it's about. Arthur Pressman on why the best lawyers have nothing left to prove, why people only hear what supports their position, and why he writes the deal on one page before anyone leaves the room.
Never miss an episode
Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to get new episodes automatically.