The least effective way to handle conflict.

(Or: how to sound like a child in an argument.)

You’re in it—a “disagreement” has flourished into a fight.

Your heart is pounding, your voice tight.

Someone’s just said something that hits a nerve. Coworker, spouse, teenager—it doesn’t matter who. You feel it in your gut and you are seething.

They’ve called you out—maybe even nailed a truth you didn’t want to admit.

And now your body is ready for battle.

What do you say next?

Be honest—what’s your go-to move when you feel cornered?

When you are in that hot, reactive “fight” energy—what flies out of your mouth first?

Hold that thought.

Because I want to introduce you to a losing strategy—one that feels *so* satisfying in the moment, but reduces relationships to ash in the long run.

It’s called **D.A.R.V.O.** and once you see it, you can’t unsee it. DARVO as a conflict management strategy is about as destructive as throwing a hand grenade to win an argument.