One of the best ways to improve communication in a relationship is ensuring that you feel heard by your partner. In this video, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Kelli Miller outlines the difference between being heard and being listened to, and the importance of practice when it comes to validating the ones you care about. Strengthening the skill of hearing your partner will take your couple's communication to the next level.
Key Takeaways
- Make sure both you and your partner feel heard in the relationship.
- Feeling heard and feeling listened to are actually two different things.
- Being listened to is easy and involuntary, whereas being heard means your partner really understands what you’re saying and can explain it back to you.
Video Transcript
Always make sure that you feel heard by your partner. Feeling heard and feeling listened to are two different things, and a lot of people don't realize it. Feeling heard means feeling understood. While being listened to is easy and involuntary from your partner, being heard is that your partner understands what you're saying and can validate it back. Both you and your partner should practice actively validating and making the other person feel heard when you're communicating, then working to address each other's needs in a constructive way.
