With up to half of all marriages ending in divorce, some people think, “Why bother at allyour relationship will take some work to stay healthy. That is just the way it is.

Everything good takes work,

What Can We Do?

There are plenty of couples counseling therapists and counselors as well as support groups both online that you can go to in person. However, you may not be ready for that. There are some things you can try now that may help improve your relationship without having to go to counseling.

Communicate

Communication is the most important thing in any relationship. If you and your partner cannot communicate, you are not going to be able to get along. This does not mean just talking. Communication is different for everyone. Some people express with actions like hugs, holding hands, and doing things for people while others communicate with words. Some people are passive, and others are aggressive. Those who are aggressive have to be careful not to let that emotion affect their communication in negative ways such as yelling, being verbally abusive, or being physical.

Those who are passive may need to try to open up more and let their feelings be known, so the other person does not think you are emotionally shutting them out. Being quiet is not always a good thing. Talk about things rather than keeping them bottled up or they will eventually become problems.

Honesty

If you and your partner are not honest with each other, you cannot expect to have a good relationship. Lying to your partner or deliberately not telling your partner things that they should know is pretty difficult to get it back. Be honest and open in your relationship and let your partner know that you expect that from them too.

Respect

Everyone wants to be respected by people they care about, especially your partner. You got together for better or for worse, and that means and with but you have to keep an open mind and respect your partner for their own feelings and opinions.

Friendship

Being friends is sometimes more important than love. have to be friends first. Just having sexual attraction for someone does not mean you love them so make sure you enjoy being around them before you make a commitment.

Fight Fair

Everyone fights so when you do, make sure you fight fair. No name calling, yelling, cursing, insults, and definitely no physical abuse of any kind. Experts say it is better to use the words our, us, and we instead of you, me, and I. Using plural pronouns helps you and your partner connect more and increases the chance that you will express positivity rather than negativity.

Sexual Satisfaction

Do not forget to spice things up once in a while. Having a satisfying intimate relationship with your partner has been proven to increase happiness in your relationship overall. Sexual intimacy brings couples closer in more ways than just sex. If you and your partner are having trouble with sexual intimacy, see your physician about it right away. Ignoring this problem can lead to all kinds of problems.

Online Therapy

If you think you and your partner need to talk to a therapist or counselor about your relationship, there are many options. You can talk to your family physician that can recommend a therapist, or you can try an online therapist. There are thousands of licensed professionals available 24 hours a day, seven days a week who can help you right now.

 

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA