Healthy Relationships

How can I know if my relationship is healthy?

Being in a healthy relationships means…

Respecting individuality, embracing differences, and allowing each person to “be themselves”
Discussing things, allowing for differences of opinion, and compromising equally.
Expressing and listening to each other’s feelings, needs, and desires.
Trusting and being honest with yourself and each other.
Resolving conflicts in a rational, peaceful, and mutually agreed upon way.

Other Characteristics of a Healthy Relationship

Each person has individual rights
Open communication
Trust
Mutual respect for opinions
Equality in decision making
Shared respect for each other’s values
Respect for each person’s sexual boundaries
Willingness to honestly discuss problems
Willingness to tell your partner what you need or want
Honesty
Always using a nonviolent approach to resolving conflict
Understanding that conflict and anger are okay
Taking responsibility for yourself
Accepting the fact that everyone makes mistakes
Owning your own mistakes
Commitment
Joy and playfulness

Direct, kind, and clear communication is the most effective way to communicate with your partner. We can minimize conflict by learning to express our needs, wants, hopes, and desires clearly and caringly. We can also listen to other people and hear what they have to say. Respecting them as well as ourselves is part of this process.

Examples:

- “I want this, but what do you want?”

- “How can we work this out?”

- “I care about what you need. I want to solve this.”

Results:

- You often get your needs met.

- You build and maintain the relationship.

- Your partner respects you.

- You work towards peace in the relationship.