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Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.
Friday Fix: Episode 78
Whether you said something out of anger and hurt your partner’s feelings or you completely forgot about a deadline for work, your next move is critical.
And as tempting as it might be to downplay your mistake, minimizing your responsibility only makes things worse. You’ll risk damaging the relationship even more.
If your apology goes awry, you’ll likely meet resistance. And if things go really wrong, you might find yourself blaming the other person or telling them that they’re just being “too sensitive.”
But saying, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t automatically make things better. Apologies often fall short—or even make things worse.
Fortunately, there are people out there who research what goes into an effective apology. And they’ve uncovered exactly what it takes to make an apology effective.
In fact, when an apology is delivered well, you might make things better than they were before you messed up.
So on today’s Friday Fix, I share the exact things you should say to increase the chances that your apology will be accepted.
More About the Podcast
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Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.
Links and Resources
- Follow Amy Morin on Instagram
- Check out Amy’s books on mental strength
- Why It’s Important to Apologize
- What to Do After You Hurt Your Partner
- What Is Shame?