1 / 21

Relationships and Communication

Relationships and Communication. The Myth of ‘The Perfect Relationship’. Soul mates; ‘The One’ Nobody can meet ALL of your needs Every relationship has some problems Healthy expectations from the beginning. Compatibility. A Triangular Theory of Love (Sternberg, 1986) Intimacy Passion

ignacia
Download Presentation

Relationships and Communication

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Relationships and Communication

  2. The Myth of ‘The Perfect Relationship’ • Soul mates; ‘The One’ • Nobody can meet ALL of your needs • Every relationship has some problems • Healthy expectations from the beginning

  3. Compatibility • A Triangular Theory of Love (Sternberg, 1986) Intimacy Passion Commitment

  4. Maintaining Oneself Within a Relationship • You will change due to your relationships • Remaining true to oneself • Whose needs are met through the relationship? • Not always 50/50

  5. Maintaining Oneself Within a Relationship, cont’d. • Keeping a life outside your relationship • Knowing the self in relation to others • Enhancing one another’s growth

  6. Supporting Your Relationship • You can’t go it alone! • Surround your relationships with support • Couple’s Resource Map

  7. Expectations • How realistic are your expectations for your partner? • How realistic are your partner’s expectations for you?

  8. Fighting • Is fighting healthy? • “Growing pains” • What can you learn from a fight?

  9. Fighting, cont’d. • The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Gottman, 1999) • Criticism • Defensiveness • Contempt • Stonewalling

  10. Fighting Fair • Focus on the issue at hand • Remain focused on the present • Not the time to bring up the past • Listening—Knowing when it is your turn • NO physical violence • Seek counseling when necessary

  11. Breaking up is hard to do…. • Give yourself time to move on • Nurture your other relationships • Take time to reflect on the lessons you can learn from the relationship AND the break-up

  12. Relationships and Transitions • Potential for increased negative interactions • Protective defense mechanisms • Increased awareness

  13. Making Relationships A Priority • Relationships are often taken for granted • Make a commitment to care for your relationships before it is too late!!

  14. Communication Skills

  15. Listening • Making the effort • Non-verbal cues • Eye contact • Notice underlying feelings

  16. Direct Communication • Speak clearly and directly • Say what you mean • Verify understanding • Avoid beating around the bush

  17. Self-Disclosure • Sharing personal experience • Necessary for intimacy • Trust is important! • Appropriate levels of disclosure

  18. Non-verbal Communication • As speaker • Gestures • Increase interest • As listener • Awareness • Inconsistencies

  19. Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive Communication • Passive: Not expressing feelings or standing up for yourself • Aggressive: Expressing feelings in an overbearing manner • Assertive: Expressing feelings without violating others’ rights

  20. Advice • Proceed with caution!

  21. Focus on the Behavior • Avoid labeling • Personal attacks lead to defensiveness • Negotiate behaviors

More Related