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Practical posts for spotting patterns and choosing a next step.

A flat vector illustration of two message bubbles, the upper one outlined in violet with a small violet block joined to it by a dashed arrow standing for a discourse marker attached to the turn, next to the headline Discourse markers: what oh, well and so do to a turn.

November 5, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Discourse markers: what oh, well and so do to a turn

Flat vector illustration for the article Dispreferred responses: how a no is built, not said, showing a question bubble, a short bare reply directly beneath it, a row of four dots standing for the delay, and a longer reply that opens with two short prefatory marks above three lines of text.

November 5, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Dispreferred responses: how a no is built, not said

A flat vector card showing a Pass code beside a key and an empty dashed outline, illustrating what happens if you lose your chat analysis pass.

November 4, 2026 · Understanding yourself

What happens if you lose your chat analysis pass?

Flat vector illustration of two speech bubbles side by side above a dotted line that zigzags back and forth between two vertical tracks over a row of small date marks, for the headline Relational dialectics theory: a tension that never settles.

November 4, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Relational dialectics theory: a tension that never settles

A flat vector illustration for Expectancy violations theory and the missing expectation, showing three grey message bubbles spaced evenly along a dotted line, a dashed empty outline where the next one was expected, and a larger purple bubble that arrived well above it with a measuring line marking the distance between the two.

November 4, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Expectancy violations theory and the missing expectation

Flat vector illustration for the article A full stop in a text message, read as less sincere, showing an incoming message bubble above two short reply bubbles, one filled and ending in a circled dot that stands for the final full stop and one outlined with no dot at all.

November 3, 2026 · Understanding yourself

A full stop in a text message, read as less sincere

Two overlapping rounded frames share a shaded middle panel, with a dotted arrow carrying the shared panel out to a third frame, illustrating the headline Communication privacy management theory, and who co-owns a chat.

November 3, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Communication privacy management theory, and who co-owns a chat

A flat illustration for the article What you cannot use a chat analysis for, showing a written portrait with one arrow leading to a circle crossed through and another leading to a frame holding a tick.

November 3, 2026 · Understanding yourself

What you cannot use a chat analysis for, and why

Three chat bubbles on a dark background, each split by a dotted line between two differently coloured bars of text, illustrating the article Code-switching in text messages: what the thread keeps.

November 2, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Code-switching in text messages: what the thread keeps

A pale chat bubble joined by a dotted line to a violet reply bubble whose arrow curves away, with three dots below, on the card headed Conversational narcissism.

November 2, 2026 · Understanding yourself

Conversational narcissism: the shift response in a chat