“Secure connection to a loved one is empowering. Love is not the icing on the cake of life. It is a basic primary need, like oxygen or water.” – Dr. Sue Johnson
Our relationships with loved ones can sometimes feel fragile. Relationships are subject to many forms of stressors (work demands, financial strain, past infidelities and traumas, sexual difficulties, immediate and extended family issues, etc). These combined with daily life stressors make it vital that we intentionally connect with and support each other. Developing securely attached relationships enable us to manage stressors in healthy ways.
How Do I Create Connected Relationships with Others?
Tips for Connected Relationships
- Reach out and connect. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. Spend time together (mealtime, walking, playing a game).Our brains are wired for meaningful human connection. We are born to bond!
- Share your emotions and talk with someone you trust. Naming and sharing emotions calms the nervous system and we feel connected.
- Look for ways to meet your loved one’s emotional needs. Think about their love language and do something to show your love (service, small gift, time, touch, words of affirmation, etc.).
Solace Can Help You Heal
We all need to feel heard, seen, and valued. When we experience this, we are in a space to share vulnerable parts of ourselves, and we form connected relationships on a deeper level.
Contact Solace to set up an appointment with a compassionate, skilled, and Emotionally-Focused Trained therapist for help in healing and building securely connected relationships with those you love.
Johnson, S. M. (2008). Hold me Tight: Seven conversations for a lifetime of love. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.
