Learn More About Effective Communication

Throughout an individual’s daily routine, he or she is constantly communicating with others, whether it is with their child, husband, boss, friend, etc.  There are various types of communication such as verbal, nonverbal communication (body language), sign language, etc. 

Communication also plays an intricate function in marriages.  Many researchers have found that communication problems have been the cause of couples entering into therapy.  Relationships can be impacted either negatively or positively through communication. You need communication to express thoughts, wants, needs, etc.  Lack of communication could lead to many arguments which ultimately could hurt your relationship. Ineffective communication causes misunderstanding which can result in frustration, angry, unmet desires or needs, and it plays a major role in marital and family problems.  There is much to say about the complexities of communication and marital satisfaction. This is because although many people believe they are communicating with one another the question lies: Are they really getting their message across to the person they are communicating too?

Ineffective communication could be classified as:

• Speaking in a roundabout way, not stating points or being unclear in one’s message.
• Talking in a loud, angry tone, or portraying an aggressive attitude 
• One conveys the message through body language and/or behaviors
• Not actively listening
• Not being honest in your statements 

Some characteristics of effective communication could be classified as:

• Being direct in the message that you are conveying 
• Speaking and listening to the other person 
• Openness and Sincerity 
• Awareness of Non-verbal body gestures when speaking
• Being conscious of how you are presenting your thoughts. Individuals are constantly engaging and expressing their thoughts and emotions through conversations on a daily basis.  We try to help others understand what we are thinking or how we are feeling. Language enables us to express these internal states; therefore, one must be mindful of the language we chose to express ourselves. 

Effective communication is important in all areas of life.  Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to maintain a healthy relationship.

• Sharing your thoughts, your past and present experiences.  The person will better understand you and will feel more connected to you.  Sharing all areas of your life whether it is how your day went to happy and/or sad past experiences.  It is important for one another to know and understand certain things about the person before they are able to be in a healthy relationship ie. Goals, opinions about commitment, values, etc.  
• Lots of people in relationships try to be in control.  They tend to control conversations or maybe other things. Control can become an obstacle in a relationship.  Allow others to speak and have their own opinions on topics.  
• Be supportive.  Most people do not want to be put down, they want a cheerleader, someone that will encourage and support them.  Be cautious of your word choice. Your statement could be interpreted differently because of the words that you chose.
• Active listening is a vital tool that can really help in communicating.  Listening to what your partner is saying and not being solely caught up in what you are trying to express.  Being an active listener is difficult. We all want to speak our thoughts but as well we all want to be heard.  

How we communicate is very important…….Therefore, we want to be aware of how we can improve.