Written by: Caroline Newberry, MS
Strong communication skills are crucial to healthy and lasting relationships. Here are 7 strategies below to help with clear and effective communication that can help facilitate deeper understanding and empathy and help strengthen the relationships in your life.
Active listening– Active listening means being fully present and engaged so you can understand what someone says and what they mean.
- Give partner full attention
- Seek to understand your partner’s intent
- Avoid interruptions
Positive non verbal communication– Non-verbal communication is how we communicate with our bodies including posture, tone, touch and facial expression.
- Maintaining soft tones
- Open posture
- Eye contact
Empathy– Empathy is connecting to another person’s feelings by seeing things from their perspective, staying out of judgment, and letting them know they’re not alone.
- Acknowledging feelings without judgement
- Supportive compassion
- Encourages deeper trust
“I” statements– Statement that uses “I” instead of “you” to put focus on personal feelings and experiences.
- Express personal feelings without blame or accusation
- Decreases defensiveness
- Promotes accountability
Emotional validation– Emotional validation is recognizing, understanding and acknowledging the feelings of others.
- Acknowledge your partner’s feelings even if you disagree
- Avoid downplaying feelings or dismissiveness
- Helps to avoid shame and self-blame
Ask open ended questions– Encourage detailed, qualitative, and subjective responses, requiring more than a “yes” or “no” answer. They typically begin with “how,” “why,” and “what.”
- Encourages deeper sharing and discovery of hidden concerns
- Avoid assumptions by inviting fuller explanations
- Fosters a sense of warmth and intimacy
Time-Out Strategy– Pause during emotional flooding to regain composure.
- Prevents escalation, allows emotional regulation
- Healthier conflict resolution and improved self-control
- Revisit conversation when you feel calmer and ready
Curious about doing this kind of work in your own life? You can explore more resources on relationship challenges on our Relationship Issues page. And if you’re thinking about therapy, our team is always here. You can contact us whenever you’re ready.
About the Author
Caroline Newberry, MS, is a therapist at Counseling Works who works with individuals navigating relationship stress, communication challenges, and recurring conflict. She helps clients better understand their patterns, express themselves more clearly, and show up as their best selves in their relationships. Caroline’s approach is warm, practical, and focused on building the skills and confidence needed to create healthier, more connected partnerships.
