Healthy relationships don’t just happen, they are built.
Both partners must work on improving themselves first as well as improving the partnership.
Here are 10 items important to building a healthy relationship:
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Time Together - The very definition of a relationship: the way in which two people are connected. Go on dates, video chat, and make each other a priority with time.
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Time Apart - It's also healthy to have separate interests, friendships, and hobbies too. You'll both grow as individuals and appreciate each other more.
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Boundaries - It's important to give each partner privacy and personal space, and know where you end and your partner begins.
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Safety - Both partners feel safe without any physical, verbal, sexual or emotional abuse.
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Trust - Trust is a key component, and you must be vulnerable. Time to build will vary, but you should be able to rely on each others loyalty and honesty overall.
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Communication - Open and honest communication while sharing your wants, needs, and feelings even when they differ from your partners.
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Managing Conflict - Every couple experiences conflict from time to time, and the key to managing your differences is connecting without insults, name-calling, sarcasm, and other types of negativity.
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Teamwork - A couple in a healthy relationship views themselves as a team, and teams work together - they don't compete against each other.
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Intimacy - Mutually satisfying sexual relationship and the ability to share together ones thoughts, feelings, and needs. Physical and emotional intimacy maintains a connection.
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Commitment - Maintain your commitment with boundaries between your relationship and the outside world. Work to block any exits in the relationship with an effort to thrive.
If you're struggling to build a healthy relationship, we are here to help. We have both in person therapy and online therapy for individuals, families and couples.
Discover more about Imago with our Imago Professional Membership, Imago Professional Facilitators, Imago Professional Training and Imago Educational Webinars.
This blog post was written by Norene Gonsiewski, LCSW.
Norene has been a Relationship Coach, Counselor, Author and Educator since 1980. She offers the tools to eliminate conflict, create a vision of a passionate marriage, and overcome the obstacles to success. She has helped thousands of couples fix failing relationships and restore the love and passion in their lives.
Norene has co-authored two books, Rock Solid Relationship: Seven Keys to Restore Your Connection and Make Your Love Last with her colleague Tim Higdon, and It’s Your Mind: Own It! A Manual for Every Teen with Nicole Jon Sievers.
Check out her website: https://rocksolidrelationshiphelp.com/
