EXTRA: How to Have a Hard Conversation with a Bad Belayer The TrainingBeta Podcast: A Climbing Training Podcast
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- Wilderness
This is an extra episode for subscribers only. In it, I explain how you can use a communication tool called DEARMAN to kindly ask a belayer who you don't feel safe with to make some changes to help you feel safer.
A lot of people experience bad belays, and unfortunately, some people don't feel comfortable being belayed by even their most frequent partner. That can make them unwilling to try hard above their bolts, which can take the fun out of climbing. And it can cause a lot of tension in the relationship. So you can use this tool - or this exact conversation I lay out for you - to kindly but firmly request that changes be made.
You can use this tool with legitimately ANY difficult conversation you want to have. It helps take any accusations and insults out of the equation, it keeps the conversation focused on your requests and your feelings, and it helps the person understand that you really care about them and want to make this situation better for both of you. It's a win-win.
This is an extra episode for subscribers only. In it, I explain how you can use a communication tool called DEARMAN to kindly ask a belayer who you don't feel safe with to make some changes to help you feel safer.
A lot of people experience bad belays, and unfortunately, some people don't feel comfortable being belayed by even their most frequent partner. That can make them unwilling to try hard above their bolts, which can take the fun out of climbing. And it can cause a lot of tension in the relationship. So you can use this tool - or this exact conversation I lay out for you - to kindly but firmly request that changes be made.
You can use this tool with legitimately ANY difficult conversation you want to have. It helps take any accusations and insults out of the equation, it keeps the conversation focused on your requests and your feelings, and it helps the person understand that you really care about them and want to make this situation better for both of you. It's a win-win.