What can I do to make my relationship better?:
- Learn to listen better.
- Be more assertive, not more hostile.
- Improve your social skills by role playing and learning to use “I” statements and empathy responses.
- Fight fairly – this means no name calling, not bringing up the past and being respectful.
- Negotiate compromises.
- Reduce your anger.
My spouse and I communicate differently. Is this true for other couples?
Yes. In general, everyone can have different ways of communicating and relating to their spouse. The key to successful communication is learning how to communicate in a way that helps your partner understand what you need and provides the support to get your needs to be met.