Communication problems between two people are often the main focus of couples therapy. In one such session, a wife poured her heart out, describing her husband as a kind and friendly person to everyone except her. No, it’s not a case where wife catches husband cheating! He remained silent, seemingly engulfed in his thoughts. She, frustrated, demanded to know why he wouldn't talk to her, convinced that he was harboring anger towards her.
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Another couple, faced their own communication woes. After almost a year of dating, man asked her girlfriend to move in with him. She hesitated and couldn't bring herself to discuss why. This silence felt like a sign that his girlfriend might not love him or didn't want to live together.
When these things happen, the lack of conversation is often a sign of deeper problems with intimacy. It's hard to imagine that someone we care about might be scared of getting close to us, or that we ourselves have the same fears. Still, a lot of us deal with these competing wants without even realizing it.
On one hand, we yearn for profound connections where we feel truly seen and understood. On the other, we fear that such connections might engulf our independence and, perhaps, our identity. For some, even casual conversation can evoke dread that they'll become too entangled, losing their sense of self.
Maintaining the balance between intimacy and independence is akin to a tightrope act. We sway from one side to the other, struggling to stay upright. We draw close, only to pull away.
In simpler relationships, like those with colleagues, managing this balance is less complicated. However, when it comes to deep, meaningful relationships, such as romantic partnerships, finding equilibrium becomes a formidable task.
To facilitate these challenging conversations, two fundamental rules come into play.
1. DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY
Rather than jumping to conclusions that your partner's silence stems from something you've done or not done, consider that it may be rooted in their own emotional and psychological conflicts regarding closeness. They might fear becoming overly reliant on you, prompting them to maintain distance by not talking. Alternatively, they might worry that something they say will push you away. In both cases, their silence is an unconscious attempt to strike a balance.
This was evident in the first couple’s situation, described in this piece’s intro. Wife believed her husband’s silence meant his lack of love for her, given that she felt like the sole recipient of his silence. However, he interacted and played with their children but became uncommunicative when she engaged him in conversation. It was vital for her to broaden her perspective, realizing that his behavior wasn't exclusively directed at her. Simultaneously, he needed to find the words to express his thoughts.
After several therapy sessions, he admitted that his difficulty in talking to her arose from their closeness. He had wanted her to understand his thoughts without him verbalizing them, and when she didn't, it left him frustrated. Importantly, he recognized that this wasn't her fault but his own internal conflict.
2. TALK ABOUT THE SMALL STUFF
Couples often believe that deep, meaningful conversations are the key to closeness. However, it's the seemingly insignificant moments and topics that truly bond a relationship. Shared jokes, brief discussions about each other's days, complaints about everyday aches and pains—these seemingly trivial matters form the foundation of a relationship.
Deep, meaningful conversations don't spontaneously arise; they evolve from the everyday small talk. Couples should initiate conversations about the minutiae of their daily lives, allowing them to intimately understand each other as individuals and as a couple. While many may dismiss "small talk," psychoanalyst Harry Stack Sullivan pointed out that our core selves are embedded in these details. Increased communication about the supposedly trivial aspects of life fosters a deeper connection, making the couple feel closer and more at ease with one another.
Interestingly, these two rules — discuss the small stuff and don't take things personally — not only bring couples closer but also strengthen their individual identities. This, in turn, makes it easier to tackle more substantial issues when they arise.
3. WHEN TRUST IS BROKEN
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REFERENCES
Couple communication, emotional and sexual intimacy, and relationship satisfaction
