Communication in Marriage

Effective, two-way communication in marriage is what holds a good marriage together. It’s the key to a long, lasting relationship. And when communication breaks down in a marriage, it’s usually followed by constant fighting, then separation and ultimately divorce.

Being able to freely express your thoughts and emotions and being heard by your partner is the one thing that everyone who has a troubled or fragile marriage always point out as what’s missing in their marriage.

Tips to Effective Communication in Marriage

• If you find that you are having problems talking to your other half, try using more "I" statements and less "you" statements, especially when dealing with any sensitive issues. Sentences that start with or include ‘you’ are often accusatory in nature and do not give out the right vibes.

• Listening and understanding is the key to effective communication while reading between the lines or trying to read someone’s mind is a sign of bad communication.

• Another key to effective communication is to have both parties involved and not just the one partner dominating the conversation or pitching in all the ideas.

• Keeping things inside in order to avoid confrontation is not what a healthy marriage entails nor is criticizing, lecturing or talking down to your partner.

Conclusion

Arguments are a part of every marriage and they can either be healthy or unhealthy depending on how they are handled. They typically start as a discussion or stem from a comment, gradually becoming more heated as each party feels the need to defend their line of thinking and feelings.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. If each person can be given the chance to express their feelings and thoughts without any interruption, the discussion will never turn into an argument if either spouse is willing to understand where the other is coming from.

If you are looking to improve the dialogue between you and your partner, it is important that respect is established between the two of you first. Because without respect, you have no motive to want to listen to their views.

Return to Marriage Advice

Return from Communication in Marriage to the Home Page