Communication & Why It's The Key To A Successful Relationship

With any close relationship, there’s equal opportunity for both friction and affection to take root. Those close relationships come loaded with expectations. When those expectations aren’t met, frustration and disappointment can boil over into outright conflict.

It’s easy to neglect communication when we’re caught up in the daily grind, trying to keep up with all the things that need to get done. All too often, we end up left chasing unknowns—not knowing what our partner expects of us, and not clearly communicating what we need from them.

Communication can be seen as the foundation of a relationship. While most people understand that, many don't understand why this is exactly. Here is why communication is key to a successful relationship.

The Importance Of Communication

One of the most important factors in any relationship is establishing a sense of trust and safety. In many ways, these are the boundaries we have to establish so that we can feel comfortable exploring one another. When you know where you stand, it’s easy to feel secure. It’s important in any relationship to be able to bring our issues to each other so that we can resolve them.

By working together to establish a clear set of expectations related to our needs and desires, partners can ensure those needs are met. Whether related to sexual activity in the bedroom, divvying up chores around the house, or scheduling independent activities, it is key to setting expectations for each other.

Similarly, it's important that people in a relationship feel they are heard when they express their frustrations. With good communication skills, partners can learn to focus on listening to each other with empathy and understanding. Without that, little frustrations can build up into big problems.

It Helps With Conflict Resolution

Communication is a critical part of conflict resolution. It’s important to be able to articulate any issues or problems you may encounter in your relationship and voice them. When you focus on building up your communication skills, you can work together to resolve conflicts in a productive manner.

Active Listening & Empathy allow you to explore your partner’s emotions, and respond to their questions effectively when they have them. Being able to see things from each other’s perspective helps ensure both parties are working together as a team to solve problems in their relationship.

Enhanced Intimacy

Without trust and safety, sex can be fraught with discomfort and uncertainty. Communication empowers us to tell our partners what we like and what we don’t like—and knowing they’re skilled listeners reassures us that they’ll hear us when we tell them.

Intimacy also refers to the emotional side of a relationship as well. Without good communication, both sides of the "intimacy coin" will be tarnished and not as shiny.

Better Emotional Support

A healthy level of communication establishes a bond between partners that lets them support each other during difficult times. Whether it’s medical issues, problems at work, or social conflict, effective communication can help you feel secure and supported in your relationship.

Learning to Communicate

We often think of relationships as a matter of chemistry—our focus is on the spark and sizzle—but that spark and sizzle fade with time. What makes a relationship successful is the time we put into learning to communicate with our partners.

If you’re struggling with communication in your relationship, consider reaching out to a therapist. I work with clients every day to teach communication skills that can help establish trust, confidence, and vulnerability in their relationships. Contact me today to schedule a free consultation and learn how couples therapy might help you.