Good communication is essential for any Healthy relationship. In many ways, it serves as the glue that holds relationships together. Lack of communication often leads to one or both individuals feeling unheard and misunderstood. Three common areas of communication breakdown include:
Failing To Listen
Failure To Be Direct
Reacting Defensively
Whether we realize it or not, we are continually communicating something to our partners. This communication is delivered by what we say, what we do, and how we respond. When we fail to listen in a relationship, we are communicating to our partner that their thoughts and feelings are not valuable to us. When there is failure to be direct with your thoughts and feelings, you have opened the door for assumptions and misunderstandings. When someone reacts defensively in a relationship, essentially they have turned what is supposed to be a partner to them into an adversary against them.
These communication breakdowns become bad habits in relationships, which contribute to unnecessary arguments and conflict. As stated earlier, you are always communicating something to your partner. If you are recognizing these habits forming in your relationship, therapy may be able to help you turn things around by becoming more intentional about what and how you communicate in your relationship.
I would be happy to explore ways in which therapy could be beneficial in helping you and your partner become more intentional in your communication.