You Can Learn to Communicate with Compassion
Dr. Marshall B. Rosenberg, founder of The Center for Nonviolent Communication, talks about the need to offer compassion and attention when listening and responding to your partner.
His approach to compassionate response suggest that, when communicating with your significant other that you:
- Be fully present
- Listen for feelings and needs
- Paraphrase
- Feel and sustain empathy
Many of the issues I address in working with couples stem from their inability to truly communicate with their partner. Much of the progress we make in resolving those conflicts comes as their ability to truly and fully communicate - both giving and receiving - develops.
This is not an easy task and too few of us are able to draw upon our upbringing as a source for modeling good communications. In other words, our parents, teachers and peers practiced poor communication with us and that’s how we learned!
Couples Can Learn to Communicate Better
Don’t be discouraged. Good communication isn’t a genetic trait, it’s a skill and, with desire and effort, you and your partner can learn to master this skill enriching your relationship and your lives in the process.
If you’d like to learn more about how you and your mate can learn to communicate effectively and compassionately as a couple, feel free to call or email me.