There are a few things you can do to build emotional closeness with your spouse.
Maybe it’s true – maybe all you need is love. According to Studio 5 Relationship Contributor Dr. Matt Townsend, your ability to maintain close relationships is the greatest survival skill.
Science is now showing that a loving and close relationship with your spouse is not only a great benefit to life, but it is necessary for healthy living. Matt shares how you can start down a path of emotional closeness with your spouse.
To delve deeper into this topic, Matt invites everyone to a special event, “Becoming One: The Path to Deeper Love,” on Valentine’s night at Murray High School. Tickets are available at matttownsend.com under “live events.”
How to Build Emotional Closeness
The Benefits of Emotional Closeness
Matt explains, “The power of being emotionally close with your partner is that you actually relax because you know you’re loved and you know you’re safe, and it’s not conditional.”
He delves into the tangible advantages, highlighting that individuals living in emotionally close relationships tend to live longer, recover faster, accomplish more, and embrace their authentic selves.
Defining Emotional Connectivity
Describing emotional connectivity, Matt says, “It’s about being safe emotionally with somebody.”
It allows individuals to share their hearts, feelings, vulnerabilities, and dreams without fear of judgment or rejection.
Talking About Emotional Closeness
“Sit down with your partner and talk to them about the fact that you want more emotional closeness,” Matt advises.
This dialogue becomes the foundation for forging a deeper connection and understanding each other’s needs.
Identifying and Overcoming Barriers
Matt acknowledges several factors that can hinder emotional closeness, including ego, insecurity, and fear of vulnerability. He encourages couples to identify these barriers and openly discuss how they impact their connection.
Practicing Emotional Closeness
Matt suggests looking back at shared experiences where emotional closeness was felt and share those moments with your partner. Like, “Hey, remember when I was having a hard day and you just held me? I want more of that in our relationship.”
Additionally, he encourages couples to understand each other’s perspective and practice emotional connection throughout the day. Then at night, highlight the “wins” during bedtime pillow talk to reinforce the progress made.
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