By Dr. Eve Wallace

April 22, 2022

Let’s be honest, relationships can be very tough.  Learning certain strategies has been proved to be very helpful and very rewarding when both persons are committed to the relationship and practicing these certain strategies.

Even in the best of circumstances, keeping a relationship between two people strong and healthy requires a lot of work. No matter your background, age, or financial status; you must realize that keeping your love alive doesn’t happen by accident.

Every couple experiences ups and downs, even the very best relationships take effort and they all need maintenance.  This helps to refresh, reset, keep things interesting and continue to strengthen the bond between partners.  It’s especially true of intimate long-term relationships. The longer you’re together, the easier it becomes to start finding fault in your partner. As the old saying goes, familiarity breeds content.  

Here we take a look at valuable insight into how to stay connected when you’re in a long-term relationship. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Communication Is Everything

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of communication. This is true in any aspect of life, but especially when attempting to maintain a healthy relationship after many years together.

When a couple has been in a relationship for years or even decades, it’s easy to fall into the trap of making assumptions about what your partner is thinking or feeling, to assume they understand what you’re feeling.  Sometimes partners begin to feel taken for granted or may not realize how they are taking the other one for granted.

But more often than not, these types of assumptions are wrong, which is why you need to learn to speak openly and honestly about what each other is experiencing.

2. Focus On Being Present

So many times, the average person is busy, tired, distracted, or consumed with things that can be taxing on the attention a partner may need. This can be harmful to the relationship. Thus, you need to focus on being present in the moment to show your partner that they matter to you.  Take time to notice things about them and make them feel appreciated and loved.

3. Travel Together as Often as Possible

Traveling together is a great way to focus on each other. It doesn’t matter where you go and all trips don’t have to be expensive and drawn out.  On a budget, you both can get up early, take a drive out of town, spend the day together on a low budget, and return home the same evening. The key is to experience the journey together and make special memories that will be remembered for a lifetime.

4. Put Down Your Mobile Devices

If you’re like most people, you spend a great deal of time focused on your smartphone or some other type of mobile device. But when you get home, it’s time to reduce screen time, put your phone down, and give your partner your full attention.

5. Go to Couples Counseling

You might not feel you need counseling, and yet this is one of the best investments you’ll ever make in your relationship. An experienced counselor/therapist can help you improve your communication skills, learn to clarify your needs, communicate, listen to each other, and help you find the spark that first made you fall in love.

6. Embrace the Power of a Hug

It’s no secret that touch is an important part of a loving relationship. And it’s really hard to beat the power of a hug. When touched by another person, there are signals sent to the brain which translate into security, comfort, and happiness.  Randomly hugging your partner is the ideal way to show love and tenderness without saying a word.

7. Always Treat Your Partner With Respect

Showing respect can go a long way toward improving your relationship. Both in the privacy of your home and when you’re out in public with your spouse. Respect is something that might not seem flashy, and yet it’s a crucial aspect of a strong relationship that also happens to be incredibly sexy.  It is an even better feeling to know that your partner respects you end is loyal to you.  Another way to show respect is to compromise, which is a productive fruit and people have to compromise in order for both to feel balanced and valued.  That means that you both give up something you originally wanted in order to reach an agreement.

Staying Connected in a Long-Term Relationship

Being in a loving relationship is a blissful experience, but that same relationship can also become a rocky road. That’s why you need to understand specific tips, strategies, and advice for keeping the love alive in a long-term relationship.  Fortunately, the guidance provided here is a great place to start. 

Please contact us today, at Eve Wallace Consulting Firm, LLC to learn how we can help you take your long-term relationship to the next level.

No one is born knowing how to maintain healthy communication! It takes effort (from both parties).

We’re here to talk about how to improve relationship communication when you’re feeling unheard, frustrated, or just incapable of voicing your thoughts in an effective way. Read on to learn more.

Introspect

Good communication with another person starts with good communication with yourself. Take some time to introspect and determine what you want from the other person. 

Are you someone who needs consistent communication in order to feel heard? What does that communication look like, and how can you encourage the other person to do it without changing them?

For example, if you’re someone who gets anxious when they’re “left on read,” it might turn into a large conflict. The other person didn’t intend on ignoring you or hurting your feelings, you just have different communication styles. 

Determine what you need from that situation to avoid problems in the future. It may be enough to ask the other person to let you know when they’ll be away from their phone or give some indication that they’ve read your message.

Learn Active Listening

Active listening is crucial when it comes to improving your communication skills. You can’t be a good communicator when you’re not a good listener.

Be curious about the things that your loved one is conveying to you. Ask questions, respond, and remember what they say so you can incorporate it into later discussions. 

Many problems can be avoided through active listening.

Learn About and Discuss Boundaries

“Boundaries” has been somewhat of a buzzword lately, but it’s for a good reason. Boundaries teach other people how to respond to you (and vice versa) so you can have productive and comfortable relationships. 

Boundaries around communication may look like:

• “I need space to decompress after an argument”
• “If we’re feeling angry, we need to pause the conversation”
• “I don’t feel comfortable getting into these discussions before bedtime”

By setting and maintaining boundaries, you’ll discover that your relationships feel more comfortable and you get into fewer miscommunications. Continue checking in with your loved one and reassessing boundaries as needed. 

Consider Professional Guidance

If you’re really struggling to maintain healthy communication with your loved one, there’s nothing wrong with asking for professional help. Sometimes it takes a neutral third party to set you back on track. 

Work with a professional coach on relationship and communication strategies so you can learn skills that will last a lifetime and benefit all of your future and current relationships. 

You Can Improve Your Relationship Communication Skills

Everyone makes occasional communication mistakes, but you can mitigate damage by improving your overall relationship communication skills. You’ll notice an almost immediate change in the quality of your relationships.

If you’re ready to start making a change, we want to help you. Reach out to Eve Wallace Counseling and Consulting Firm LLC today to get started.

Reserve your spot today!

Pep Talks & Pow Wows w/Dr. Eve (c), a Group Therapy Talk Series offered separately for Men, Women & Teens.

We are offering separate monthly private group in-person sessions, for 6 sessions per group. There will be a Women’s group, a Men’s group and a Teens group held once a month. Each group will be composed of 10 people and meet one Tuesday evening a month.

You will coordinate in confidential, private therapeutic group sessions with a counselor during a peer group session.

There’s a short intake interview w/me just to be sure you are a good fit for the group and each session will be only $20 per person. Groups will be held in the Greater Greenspoint area.

Inbox me on Facebook or call 713-909-0414, Eve Wallace Consulting Firm, LLC to secure your spot! 

A new relationship is an exciting place for both parties. Everything is new and there is much to learn. As you go through the early stages, you may come across some things you need to work on.

Relationships take work from both sides. When both people are on the same page, magical things can start to happen. If things aren’t quite right, it is best to express that to your partner and know that sometimes you will need to know how to compromise and be ok with certain things.  It’s a new beginning with a new person and they are bringing their worldview and experiences with them, as you are bringing yours with you.

Relationship goals are a great thing to explore and strive towards because goals help to give you better direction.  If you’re not sure where to begin then this guide is for you. Keep reading to get a healthier perspective and started on the right foot with your partner.

1. Communication

The key to any relationship is communication. There are healthier versions of communication that help heal and strengthen the relationship. For new couples, when thinking about relationship goals, each partner should strive for calm, open, honest communication.

Sometimes you have to choose a better scene to be able to express exactly what’s on your mind to your partner and hear their thoughts in return, but do not put off communicating about things that your partner needs to know and understand (or vice versa).  Not only should you express openly, but also honestly with your partner. It is important to realize that communication is a two-way process that is not complete until each partner expresses, listens, gives feedback and there is a mutual understanding of the idea or the issue.

Disagreements and arguments are commonplace. The important thing to remember is that you are on the same team. Rather than violent communication where you are yelling, try to put yourself in their shoes.

When you can de-escalate the situation, you two will be happier in the long run. Even a simple phone call can do wonders for a couple.

2. Spend Time Together

These days it’s easy to get sucked into our smartphones, computers, etc. Rather than relying on texting and video calls, try spending actual time together more often than not.

Humans are physical creatures. Nothing can quite replace being with one another, sharing belly laughs and love. What are some cute couple goals you can do this year that will be new and exciting for both of you?

Why not spend a romantic getaway together? Go on a road trip and get to know one another. Visit the museum, go dancing or get going to the gym.

3. Be Open and Honest

An extension of communication is being open and honest with one another. When you are open and honest you form a strong bond and trust.

When you leave things in the dark, that is just a recipe for disaster. You will see how quickly you two form a more meaningful connection, the more open and honest you are. Good communication depends on a feeling of safety and security by both partners.

As far as new relationship goals, this one will set your love to new heights.

4. Be Responsible to each other

When you are responsible it means that you are being dependable, honest, and honoring your commitments.  Good healthy relationships are the right and responsibility of everyone involved. Being responsible in a relationship is the way to extend a high level of respect to your partner, it helps them know that you accept them for who they are, and it hints best that you are going to do your best to do what you say you are. As we all know when you are responsible, you can be trusted and the more trustworthy you are, the more freedom you’ll have and the intimate bond you’ll build.  Another way to be responsible for each other is to respect and consider each other’s feelings, values, needs, and wants. Ask questions, never assume and show appreciation for one another.

Through the course of time, the things you give are a basic measure of what you will receive, but learning how to be mutually responsible and respectful is important to keep your healthy relationship. It invites all the necessary ingredients to keep your relationship healthy, alive, and thriving.

What Are Your Relationship Goals?

After reading our guide on relationship goals, do any stick out to you? There is probably at least one pressing issue the both of you can work on together. To get on the same page, why not spend an evening talking about what cute couple goals to work on.

To truly take your relationship to the next level, contact us for all your counseling needs. We will unlock doors you and your partner never knew existed in the first place. Do not hesitate to call or email us, we look forward to hearing from you.