Question: I’m newly married and have been surprised and disturbed by the amount of conflict we’ve experienced in our relationship. This rarely happened when we were dating.  Is something wrong? Answer: The first thing that’s important to understand is that conflict is inevitable and unavoidable in any relationship – even those of marriage “experts.” Conflict isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, when handled with a respectful, non-abusive spirit, it can lead to a stronger, more satisfying marriage. If you want to resolve conflicts effectively, commit to confronting issues as soon as they arise. Simply suppressing your differences is not an effective way of dealing with the problem. The longer a disagreement stews, the bigger it becomes. Once you’ve initiated a discussion, be sure to communicate your concerns clearly and