What is the Gottman–Rapoport Blueprint for Speaker and Listener, and what roles do each partner play in this exercise?

The Gottman–Rapoport Blueprint for Speaker and Listener involves two roles: the speaker and the listener. The speaker uses "I" statements to express feelings and positive needs, while the listener must accurately reflect the speaker's feelings and needs to their satisfaction.

In this exercise, each partner is given a clipboard with paper and a pen. The speaker articulates their feelings about a specific issue using "I" statements and states a positive need. The listener then restates the speaker's feelings and needs, ensuring that the speaker feels validated. This process emphasizes emotional safety and understanding before moving on to problem-solving and persuasion.