
Anatomy of Conflict
I'm Bringing Tarot Cards to My Next Mediation
About this episode
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.
More from 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.

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.

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.