Dealing with Difficult People Denver Counselor Coach

We all from time to time encounter someone who is difficult to deal with. Often it’s the boss or a coworker. Sometimes it’s an aging parent, a neighbor, or even a friend. A person who is difficult for me might not be difficult for you. It depends on how that person triggers us or reminds us of internal conflicts that we ourselves have not resolved. There will always be people who “push our buttons.” The trick is to understand why a person is so difficult for us, and then to figure out a response that is healthy and honors who we are. Timing is also important in dealing with such people. It’s tough to stand up for ourselves in an effective way when we are feeling vulnerable or attacked. The more emotions that get stirred up, the harder it can be to find a dispassionate approach and to stay centered in one’s experience.


If you are dealing with a difficult person, it’s important to be able to draw on your own personal power, stay centered, and set boundaries. When someone makes us angry, it is often a message that an emotional boundary has been violated. If we care for someone, we can do so without placating and without letting our anger simmer and ultimately explode. Usually, it’s helpful to take the time to figure things out, rather than reacting. Ultimately, it’s the difficult people in our lives who challenge us to be our most whole selves and who, unintentionally, direct us to attend to our own wounded places so that we can begin to heal.


Some interesting books:

Some interesting links: