Relationship Tips for 2020 – Part 5

Blog post by Jenn Baker, GSCI at Agape Therapy Institute

Welcome to the fifth and final installment of Relationship Tips for 2020. If you have the time, please check out Parts 1 through 4 for tips on acknowledging your partner, taking time for yourself, connecting with friends and family, and communicating more effectively. 

I’d like to follow up on last week’s relationship tips and have you check in with yourself. Did you have a chance to think about the ways in which you communicate in your relationship? Were you able to try out the dedicated listening or speaking tips from last week? How did it go? It takes time to become comfortable communicating and relating in new ways. Please be patient and kind to yourself as you try out these new skills. If you’ve struggled with this, know that you are taking the first step toward improving your relationship just by reading these tips and focusing on yourself and your relationship. 

Since some of these tips are more challenging than others, I decided to save my favorite tip for last. 

This week I’d like you to focus on:

Having Fun Together! 

Most importantly, make sure that you schedule time for you as a couple to have fun together. Set aside this precious time each and every week to play and connect. Focus on the things that you love to do together. If necessary, find creative ways to modify and adapt these experiences at home or outside. 

A few ideas include:

• Plan a romantic date night
• Play games together
• Re-enact your first date
• Spend time learning new things about each other
• Cook a meal together
• Cook a meal together
• Make lists of places you want to go together and things you want to do together
• Go for a bike ride or walk outside
• Give each other massages
• Volunteer in your community
• Read to each other
• Redecorate e or fix up your home

I hope that you have enjoyed learning about ways to foster joy and connection in your relationships.

Be well within! 

Book an appointment with Jenn by clicking here.

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Relationship Tips for 2020 – Part 4

Blog by Jenn Baker, GSCI at Agape Therapy Institute

Welcome to Part four of Relationship Tips for 2020. If you haven’t already, you can read Parts 1, 2 and 3 for tips on acknowledging your partner, taking time for yourself, and connecting with friends and family. 

I’d like to follow up on last week’s relationship tips and have you check in with yourself. Were you able to find some time to connect with a friend or family member through the phone, text, virtually, or in-person? When our lives get busy, we so often overlook these important ways in which to care for ourselves and our relationships. You may want to consider setting aside time on your calendar each week for this important time. 

For this week, I’d like you to focus on:

• Communicating More Effectively – I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before, but communication is one of the most important keys to a successful relationship. This week’s tip focuses on listening and communication skills. So often in a relationship we spend more time thinking about what we want to say rather than actively listening to our partner. When we are feeling angry or hurt, it is especially difficult to listen to our partner with an open heart and mind. Here are a few helpful tips to try out:

•  When Listening:
• Practice listening without judging, interrupting, or correcting your partner.
• Try to remain vulnerable and non-defensive.
• Repeat back to your partner what you have heard them say. This simple act will help your partner feel heard and understood.

• When Speaking:
• Focus on your feelings rather than blaming or criticizing your partner.
• Use “I” statements and make sure to identify how you feel. For example, “I feel hurt and worried when you don’t respond to my texts.”

Stay tuned for next week’s blog with another relationship tip for 2020.

Citations:

Koch-Sheras, P. R., & Sheras, P. L. (2006). Couple power therapy: Building commitment, cooperation, communication, and community in relationships. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

To book an appointment with Jenn Baker, GSCI click here

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Relationship Tips for 2020 – Part 2

Blog by Jenn Baker, GSCI at Agape Therapy Institute

Welcome to Part two of Relationship Tips for 2020. Last week’s blog discussed how to increase positive interactions with your partner by using acknowledgments, which means offering words of appreciation. During the last week, did you and your partner have a chance to acknowledge one another? How did it feel to offer and receive appreciation? 

For many of us, trying something new may feel uncomfortable at first. Like anything else, it will become more natural over time with practice. Be patient and kind with yourself and your loved one. Remembering to bring this practice into your daily life will continue to strengthen your connection. 

For this week, I’d like to focus on:

• Making Time For Yourself – No matter how much we love being with our loved ones, every person needs alone time to de-stress and recharge. Coordinate and plan this special time each and every day. Make sure that you use this time to care solely for yourself. Unplug from your phone, social media, and the news. Focus on doing something that brings you peace or joy. You may find it helpful to make a list of activities that you love and check one off the list every day. Some ideas include:
• Taking a bubble bath
• Listening to music
• Meditating
• Getting outdoors
• Watching your favorite TV show
• Reading a book
• Writing in a journal
• Cooking your favorite meal
• Anything you love to do for you

Stay tuned for next week’s blog with the next relationship tip for 2020.

To book an appointment with Jennifer Baker, GSCI click here.

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