A black heart is floating in the air on a white background.

4 Ways to Improve Communication in Your Relationship

April 20, 2023

Communication in relationships is vital to having happy, healthy connections. And we’re not just talking about small talk. We’re talking about the big stuff. The things that can be challenging to open up about. Healthy communication is about digging deeper and fulfilling your partner’s needs. Keep reading to discover four ways to improve communication in your relationship.

happy couple

Tip #1: Get Out of Your Head

Trusting that your partner cares about you and is committed to making your relationship work is essential. Intrusive thoughts, like worrying your partner will leave you for someone better or thinking that you’re not good enough for them, pollute your relationship with fear and prevent you from being present in conversations and your partner’s emotions.

 

Tip #2: Incorporate Play and Humour

Sometimes the best way to diffuse conflict is by using play and humour. But tread lightly with this one. While it’s never a good idea to poke fun at serious issues, it can be a way to stop emotions from running high, taking ourselves too seriously, and breaking the ice with a laugh. 


Incorporating play and humour involves paying attention to what your partner tells you and never using a condescending, resentful, or spiteful attitude.


Tip #3: Practice Open Communication

Learning how to better communicate with your spouse can go a long way in your relationship. When your spouse speaks, pay attention and listen to understand rather than to respond. Validate their thoughts and feelings by acknowledging and repeating some of what you just heard. And finally, ask questions.



Tip #4: Learn to Forgive

Forgiveness involves consciously letting go of hurt feelings, anger, and resentment. While it’s not always easy to forgive, understand that holding on to the past can prevent you from happiness, and that’s not easy either.


Need More Help? Deepen Your Connection by Attending A Couples Retreat

Relationships are a two-way street, and connection is an essential part of life. Humans crave it. When we don’t feel connected to our loved ones, it can isolate us and leave us feeling misunderstood and alone. These negative emotions often lead to feeling unheard, arguments with loved ones, or worse, giving up on trying to communicate. 


If you and your partner are suffering from a lack of communication in your relationship and need something more, consider attending a
couples therapy retreat in Alberta with The Love of Attraction. 


Get in touch

Register for our Newsletter and receive a Free Love Chat Package

This Package Includes
  • The 5 Steps to a Better Relationship
  • Ongoing Monthly Relationship Tips
  • If you want more love in your life, our relationship Love Chat Package is an easy cost-free first step.
Click to Register
Woman scolding man on couch; she gestures at a credit card, he looks down
By Kathleen Maiman November 24, 2025
Money fights aren’t about dollars—they’re about emotions. Learn how couples can turn financial tension into deeper trust and partnership.
Couple wrapped in white blanket, smiling, walking in a garden. Green grass, apple trees in background.
By Kathleen Maiman November 17, 2025
Instead of trying to "fix" your partner or stop fights, shift your focus to growth. Learn how a growth mindset deepens intimacy, builds empathy, and creates lasting change.
Man arranging plants near window; woman leaning on mop in living room.
By Kathleen Maiman October 31, 2025
Helping is often celebrated as the hallmark of compassion. Acts of generosity and care can bond people, ease suffering, and foster trust.
A couple sitting on a couch, each using a smartphone, facing away from each other. White brick wall background.
By Kathleen Maiman October 28, 2025
In today’s digital world, screens have woven themselves into every moment of our lives. From the first scroll in the morning to the last glance before sleep: our phones and tablets are shaping how couples are spending time together. Just have a look the next time you go out to dinner and see the couple both sitting on their phone while waiting for their dinner to arrive. While this technology connects partners across distances, it can also subtly erode emotional intimacy when left unchecked. You are not alone if you’ve ever tried to talk to your partner while their eyes are glued to a glowing screen. In today’s world, screen time has quietly become the “third wheel” in many relationships.
Silhouetted figures of two people jumping joyfully on a beach at sunset.
By Kathleen Maiman September 29, 2025
When we first meet, we are the best version of ourselves. We take care of ourselves and show up as our best self. In the first few weeks and months of a relationship, we are on our A game. We dress up, plan dates, show up, have fun, we listen and we are in a good mood and say yes to new experiences and adventures. We a
Road sign showing paths for
By Kathleen Maiman August 26, 2025
When it comes to relationships—romantic, familial, or even friendships—there is an ongoing negotiation between what is true (facts) and what is felt (feelings). Both play vital roles in how partners connect, resolve conflicts, and build lasting trust. Understanding the balance between the two can mean the difference between constant misunderstandings and a relationship grounded in both honesty and empathy. Learning how to balance the two—without dismissing or overemphasizing either—can bring more peace, understanding, and intimacy.
A man and a woman are sitting on a couch, looking away from each other
By Kathleen Maiman July 29, 2025
When someone cheats in a relationship, it causes a trauma. There are three phases of working through the betrayal. Let's explore them together.
A woman is sitting on a bed while a man is laying in bed.
By Kathleen Maiman June 30, 2025
As a relationship therapist, I am seeing more couples in my office with betrayals of deceit, infidelity and emotional affairs. My curiosity and compassion arises when working with these couples, helping them to move beyond the deceit and the betrayal. In the discovery process, we want to get to an understanding of how they got to this place of hurt and deceit.  Here is one of a few blog posts on Betrayal and Infidelity. This one refers to “Why Partners Cheat”.
A man and a woman are smiling and holding hands in the woods.
By Kathleen Maiman June 6, 2025
There are many myths floating around about marriage and relationships that can be detrimental and harmful to relationships. They can create unrealistic expectations and misunderstandings leaving couples down the wrong path, or worse, convince them that marriage is a hopeless cause. Good relationships can end early or fail because of these common myths. Let’s debunk them one by one.
A diagram of emotional intelligence
By Kathleen Maiman May 30, 2025
Are you having difficult conversations that turn into more conflict and withdrawal?  It could be that you are both lacking emotional intelligence.