Sometimes countering comes in the form of a challenge. If after expressing a personal perception such as “I thought the play was great,” you hear a challenge such as “You can’t prove it,” the way to respond is to simply say, “No.” Then disengage. Leave the room. You might take a walk, visit a friend, take yourself to lunch, go to the library, check out the powder room, window shop, or take the children to the park.
