You can stress about the details of your Valentine’s Day date, fretting about flowers and double-checking your restaurant reservation – but if you haven’t put in the work to build a healthy foundation for your relationship, it could still all come crashing down. In order to find a genuine, lasting love connection, you need to pay attention to relationship psychology, good interpersonal skills, and your own healing journey.
At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates LLC of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Dr. Ronald P. Winfield supports new and existing patients with realizing their personal goals through psychotherapy. If interpersonal issues, anxiety, depression, anger management problems, or stress threaten to destabilize your love life, consult with Dr. Winfield and his team for advice you can use to break out of negative cycles.
Here are some tips from our experts on building a healthy relationship that will be a source of peace, joy, and love for you and your partner in the years to come.
You might think you know what’s going on in your partner’s head or heart, but you might not have grasped the whole picture. Intimate relationships thrive on a structure of clear communication. That includes being a good listener, as well as being honest about hopes, dreams, and fears.
When you and your partner mutually communicate and listen to each other’s needs, your relationship grows stronger. Not speaking up, not giving space for your partner to speak, or denying your or your partner’s truths blocks your relationship’s ability to grow. It can be scary to communicate, but the results are worth it!
On the one hand, it’s important to prioritize your romantic partners and show them that they’re a priority. Taking time to do something nice for the person you love sends a signal about their importance in your life. You don’t want to take a precious loved one for granted, or allow them to feel insecure about what they mean to you.
On the other hand, even in romantic relationships, you need to maintain your own boundaries. Boundaries are another way to keep your connection strong and healthy. If you need time to decompress, space around issues like body image or complicated family relationships, or privacy in parts of your life, just for a few examples, your partner should respect the boundaries you’ve set. You also need to respect your partner’s boundaries.
Since you’re in love, it’s easy to think about what you could, or want to, do for your partner. But, the biggest thing you can do for your relationship actually involves continuing to focus on yourself.
Most of us struggle with some part of our mental health and wellness. You might have a hard time handling anger, or you might tend to isolate yourself in stressful situations. Traumas from earlier in your life, including your childhood, inform the way you relate to others as an adult today. These issues can threaten romantic relationships, and can even lead to domestic violence or abuse situations.
Working with a mental health professional like Dr. Winfield allows you to pursue healing, putting the traumas of the past behind you so that they no longer threaten the life you’re building today. Processing your trauma in therapy may allow you to be a better partner, or to connect with partners who fulfill your needs in healthy ways.
For personalized relationship and psychological support, contact Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates online or over the phone now and schedule your consultation appointment.
