People say that when you’re in a healthy relationship, everything feels easy. This is not entirely true. Although healthy relationships are are less turbulent and more stable, they still require hard work, dedication, communication and compromise. By consistently working at the relationship, couples become better at overcoming challenges, working together and supporting one another. This inspires a 'We got this!' mentality, which motivates couples to work toward their goals as a team.
In today's blog post, we will be discussing 5 qualities of a healthy relationship, and how to know if your relationship has them or not.
Trust is the foundation of a healthy relationship. Trust creates a deep sense of emotional safety. It is the feeling that someone has your back, and knowing that you can be your authentic self. Trust takes time to develop and is a result of words matching actions consistently over time.
Signs to look for:
You may think that people in healthy relationships never fight, but this is not true. Disagreements are inevitable in any relationship, and being able to approach these disagreements with honest, open communication is key. People in healthy relationships learn how to resolve conflicts effectively, which prevents resentment from developing. Conflicts in healthy relationships never result in aggression, violence, name calling, put downs or other abusive behaviours.
Signs to look for:
Relationships should not feel one-sided. Responsibilities (emotional and practical), need to be shared. It is unrealistic that responsibilities will always be perfectly balanced. When one person is not be able to offer as much, and the other person will make up the difference. Partners in healthy relationships learn how to support one another, communicate their needs, and learn strategies to restore balance over time.
Signs to look for:
Boundaries are essential in every healthy relationship. Boundaries need to be reasonable and communicated clearly. In healthy relationships, boundaries are respected and appreciated.
Signs to look for:
It is important that you like your partner and enjoy spending time with them! People in healthy relationships help to lift each other up, and find moments of hope and positivity, even during difficult times.
Signs to look for:
No relationship is perfect. There may be times when your relationship is missing some of these qualities, and that is okay. Relationships are always a work in progress. Developing and maintaining a healthy relationship requires many skills including communication, conflict resolution, active listening and boundary setting to name a few. These are learned skills, and if we didn't have examples of healthy relationship dynamics in our childhood, we may need some support to learn them as adults. Many people seek individual therapy or couples therapy as a way to learn and develop these important skills in order to have happier, healthier relationships. The Aspen Wellness Centre offers individual counselling and couples counselling via telehealth or in-person at our Southeast Edmonton location.
Visit our website to learn more or to set up a free 15 minute phone consultation with one of our clinicians!
If you are experiencing abuse or domestic violence in your relationship, you may also be feeling overwhelmed or isolated. Seeking support is an important step toward breaking out of the cycle of abuse. If you are in need of immediate support, visit this link to learn more about the resources available in your province:
https://www.domesticshelters.org/en-ca/domestic-abuse-help-in-canada