from CoupleGuideTM to Communicating with Confidence by Dr. Jackie Black
Many conversations with our partners are emotionally charged. Be careful of these three common mistakes:
- The most prevalent mistake is that one or both partners comes to the conversation believing that his or her needs won’t be heard, respected, understood, validated or met.
- One partner doesn’t let the other partner finish speaking. He or she interrupts or becomes argumentative about something just said, sometimes well in advance of his or her partner having finished speaking.
- One or both partners forget to ensure that it is a good time for both of them to have a conversation to share or resolve a conflict. Someone forgets to make sure that his or her partner is able and willing to be in listening mode.
Avoiding these common mistakes increases the odds that you will communicate with each other effectively.
Couple Dialogue:
Reflecting back over the last month or two, which of these common mistakes have you made? Make a few notes about your awareness in your journal and be prepared to share them with your partner later.