Women's Health

Communication In Relationships

Communication

Sometimes emotions are hard to detect

Communication can be verbal or physical and can involve words, facial expressions or postures. In relationships people get to know each other thoroughly and the longer they are together the easier it is to recognise different degrees of emotion.

Maybe because they're complex or they're trying to be hidden, emotions are sometimes hard to detect. There may also be cultural differences in the way different feelings are expressed. In general, communication helps give other people clues about what you're thinking or feeling.

Being completely open and honest with each other can be difficult. The following strategies may be helpful:

Find an appropriate time to talk (best when you both/all have time and privacy)
Minimise any disruptions (eg. turn off the TV and phone)
Acknowledge your partner's feelings (eg. "I can see why that upsets you")
Be prepared to listen as well as talk
Repeat back the main points of what your partner is saying to check you have understood it
Don’t interrupt unnecessarily - let each other say what needs to be said
Ask questions if you don’t understand what your partner says
Be aware of your tone and body language - posture and facial expressions can give clear messages
If you can't agree on something, agree to disagree and maybe revisit the topic when you've both had time to think about it
Be honest from the beginning and also be sensitive to her feelings - she may not need to know that your last girlfriend was much better in bed than she is
Try to express and communicate all of your feelings not just the negative ones. Let your partner know when you are happy
Sometimes it is best to let a situation cool off and come back to the conversation later when everyone has had space to think.