I don't think I do that with friends so much, but I do think I listen to and understand my kids better because of therapy. I think I am better at listening to what is behind their words (because they can't articulate it) and thus understanding their meaning and position better.

Melba, if you are addressing me, I think you have misunderstood. I didn't want to annoy anyone, it was that I used a certain phrase and someone else was annoyed by it. I would just as soon that she hadn't been annoyed. (I actually think I have the opposite problem from wanting to annoy people--I worry I will annoy people or cause conflict and so I try to be appeasing, similar to what some others have described here. But over the last few years, through therapy, I have gotten a lot better at that.)

jbmomg, everything you wrote in your post completely resonated with me.