10 Key Communication Exercises For Couples
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A relationship is only as strong as a couple’s ability to communicate. Unfortunately, communication is a skill that we often take for granted. Practicing simple communication exercises can have a tremendous effect on marital satisfaction and overall happiness Here are ten activities that you can do with your partner to help improve communication today.
Set aside tech-free time
Smartphones and other tech devices have a way of robbing us of the present. One way to improve communication is to set aside tech-free hours each week. This way, partners can be certain that they’re giving one another undivided attention for a set amount of time each week. Tech-free hours can help both parties feel heard and valued while minimizing resentment and overall feelings of being ignored.
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Listen and draw
To give communication skills a boost, Positive Psychology recommends an activity called “listen and draw.” To play, one participant will deliver verbal step-by-step instructions on how to draw an object while the other attempts to draw the object using pen and paper. This game sounds simple but can get rather complex as careful listening is needed to accurately draw the objects.
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Guess the emotion
Also recommended by Positive Psychology, guess the emotion is an activity that helps to build empathy and improve communication. The objective of the game is pretty self-explanatory. One partner can act out an emotion while the other party tries to guess which emotion is being performed. The partners can choose the emotions at random or they can write different emotions down on small sheets of paper and pull one from the box when it’s their turn.
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Fireside chats
Inspired by the popular fireside chats delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and recommended by Live Bold and Bloom, fireside chats are meant to mimic intimate conversations in which couples can be transparent and speak freely about whatever their concerns may be. To set the tone, consider grabbing wine and snacks and setting up shop in a comfortable area of your home.
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Timer talks
Also suggested by Live Bold and Bloom, timed conversations can help to strengthen communication because it gives each party a chance to speak freely without interruption. To participate, couples will agree on an amount of time beforehand and set the timer. Then, they will take turns speaking freely during that time and the other is not allowed to interrupt.
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“You & Me” journal
Building on ideas presented in the self-help book Write It Out, Don’t Fight It Out, Live Bold and Bloom recommends that couples use a shared journal in which they write letters to one another. The letters can be used to simply express love or they can convey other feelings that may be difficult to verbalize.
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Role reversal
To strengthen communication skills and build empathy, Psych Central suggests that couples do role reversal activities. To participate, couples should have a conversation in which each participant respectfully pretends to be the other person. This can also help the coupe to understand how each partner sees the other.
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Structured conversations
Conversations can take on a life of their own. One minute, you’re talking about an issue currently plaguing your relationship, and the next, you’re bringing up something that happened five years ago. To remain in the present and effectively deal with current issues, Marriage.com recommends that coupes have structured conversations. To do so, couples should set aside time to discuss a specific subject and structure the dialogue using mirroring, validation, and empathy.
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Positive framing
Sometimes, it’s not about what you say, but how you say it. Before addressing your partner with a concern or making a request, consider rephrasing your words by replacing negative language with positive language. This can help to create awareness around negative communication patterns.
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Build empathy
Disagreements between couples are inevitable. To work through them effectively, Our Peaceful Family recommends practicing empathetic listening when discussing the source of contention. Ask them how they feel about it what it is that makes them feel that way. Then, you take the floor and do the same.
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