A long-lasting, happy, and healthy relationship depends on intimacy. A deep physical and emotional connection is necessary for relationship intimacy. It might be challenging to keep a relationship going when there isn’t enough closeness. Feelings of isolation and bitterness may result from a lack of connection. Your general well-being improves when you feel emotionally close to your companion. Having the support of those you love is essential to the recovery process. When you understand intimacy, you can better support your romantic relationship and overall well-being. (Also read: Transform your relationship by using these five love languages )
Psychoanalyst and relationship coach, Jordan Dann, suggested five key ingredients for intimacy in a relationship, in her recent Instagram post.
1. Practice assertive communication
For many people, part of surviving childhood meant focusing on the needs of others in order to be safe or connected. Learning to pay attention to your experience and identify your needs is an essential aspect of emotional development. When we can express our needs and emotional reality directly to our partner we invite connection and support our satisfaction in our relationship.
2. Practice intentional communication
Many of us never learned how to communicate effectively. Many of us didn’t have healthy communication offered to us, or have it modelled for us by our parents. Learning practical skills such as active listening, validation, and mirroring can support our ability to listen more deeply to our partner and avoid conflict escalation.
3. Empathize
When we empathize with our partner we create a sense of belonging. When we empathize we engage our emotional imagination so that we are working to understand the emotional landscape of our partner, and in doing so we create greater safety and connection.
4. Make daily deposits in your emotional bank account
The more intentional you are about daily deposits in your emotional bank account, the more you and your partner will share a positive perception of your partnership. Expressing appreciation, offering behaviours that make your partner feel cared for, and showing physical affection, are just a few ways to make deposits.
5. Turn towards one another
Turning towards your partner means that you are recognizing and responding appropriately to your partner’s bids for attention. Turning towards your partner when they make a bid for connection indicates to them that you are interested and invested in their subjective reality and their gestures for connection.
