Request Newsletter | Bridal Online Website | Return To Main Page

Marriage & Wedding Information


Enhancing Communication in Marriage


In marriages, many arguments and hurt feelings can be traced back to communication problems. It's not unusual for spouses to stay in a continual state of frustration, feeling misunderstood and unappreciated.

Unexpressed feelings can pile up and poison the relationship. When you repress your anger, it will always come out later, usually after something minor has upset you.

You may find that it's difficult to have a complete conversation without you or your spouse leaving the room before the conflict is resolved. The emotional buttons that your spouse pushes in you can make you want to bolt and get away from your uncomfortable feelings and reactions.

Learning to communicate more effectively with your spouse requires that you be fully present and attentive. You have to be committed to really listening and hearing, not only with your ears but also with your heart. You want to eliminate any communication blocks that prevent you and your partner from growing in understanding and intimacy.

Communication blocks are anything that you do, verbally or non-verbally, to keep you from connecting deeply with another person. Some examples of communication blocks in marriage are:

* Rolling your eyes and looking resigned or exasperated when your spouse is talking;

* Sighing deeply and loudly when your spouse is sharing his/her viewpoint;

* Looking at your watch or a clock repeatedly;

* Not stopping what you're doing when your spouse is trying to have a serious talk with you;

* Not making eye contact and not giving your partner your undivided attention;

* Using the time when your spouse is talking to think about other things unrelated to the conversation;

* Tuning your spouse out because you've heard the same thing repeatedly and are convinced it's the same old speech;

* Becoming defensive and angry immediately instead of showing your partner the respect of hearing him/her out;

* Belittling your spouse, name calling, cursing, shaking or pointing a finger, or getting in his/ her face.

* Interrupting your partner before he/she is finished talking.

It has been said that for every minute you are angry with someone, you lose sixty seconds of happiness that you can never get back. It just makes good sense to do everything you can to preserve the good will and intimacy of your marriage when conflict, anger, hurt feelings, and disagreements occur.

If you truly love your partner, you will not want to rip him/her to shreds verbally, or to ignore or discount differing opinions and beliefs. You will want to do everything you can to insure that you have quality communication in your relationship and that you are communicating your caring, love, and respect to your spouse

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give." While you cannot control how someone else will react to your efforts, you can commit to doing all you can to create a safe environment where intimacy can flourish.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says "I don't love you anymore!" The e-book is available at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com , where you can also sign up for the free Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine. Contact Nancy at Nancy@KeepYourMarriage.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

BBC News

Mother gets wedding green light
BBC News, UK - 2 hours ago
A Zimbabwean woman will be able to attend her daughter's wedding in Fife after a u-turn by immigration officials. Bride-to-be Catherine Dunford from Cupar, ...


Many brides singing post-wedding blues
Staten Island Advance - SILive.com, NY - 2 hours ago
By PHIL HELSEL STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Jilted by their wedding photographer, couples packed a hotel meeting room last night desperate for positive developments ...


6 common wedding guest issues (and how to deal)
KOAM-TV, KS - 23 hours ago
Everyone loves a wedding, but if you've got an issue with the event, it can be more stressful than joyful. Read on for our solutions to common predicaments ...


Abu Salem celebrates 'wedding anniversary' in prison
Times of India, India - 5 hours ago
20 Nov 2008, 1619 hrs IST, PTI MUMBAI: Underworld don Abu Salem was in a quiet reflective mood on Thursday as he spent his eighth 'wedding' anniversary in ...


ROLL CALL: Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green Planning Small Wedding
NBC Washington, DC - 22 hours ago
Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green Want Intimate Wedding: Don’t expect a huge wedding for Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green. The actress told People at Tuesday’s ...


Sify

TomKat spend wedding anniversary at home
Hindustan Times, India - 10 hours ago
Speaking about the wedding, Tom said last year: “It was very beautiful. As big as it was from the outside, it was a very personal experience and something ...
Hugh Jackman Access Hollywood
all 25 news articles


Ask Amy: Wedding pictures awkward after divorce
Dubuque Telegraph Herald, IA - 18 hours ago
By Amy Dickinson Tribune Media Services Dear Amy: I need to know what should be done with my daughter's wedding picture. The picture is a formal, ...


Safe isn'ta safe enough place for bride-to-be's wedding rings
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH - 2 hours ago
BRUNSWICK THEFT:Police were called to a Stone Manor Circle residence Saturday after a bride-to-be discovered her wedding bands, valued at more than $4000, ...


Facts Behind The Wedding Customs
Oneindia, India - 7 hours ago
Did you ever wonder why the age old wedding customs still breathe fresh in every wedding? Do you know the reason behind it? It is fun to look at how wedding ...


Great wedding tips: Fashion tips
Kentucky.com, KY - 2 hours ago
Here's some advice on the dress, the tux and other style tips from the book "Where to Seat Aunt Edna and 500 Other Great Wedding Tips" (Hundreds of Heads ...

Wedding - Google News

home | site map

Site Map | Site Map | Links

© 2006