Talk to me: How to talk to your partner about anything

6. Encourage your partner to bring their whole self to the relationship.
Let them know that they don't have to edit their feelings and that you are willing to hear whatever it is they need to say.

7. Admit to your partner that not all of your actions, words, or ideas are good ones.
We all make mistakes, and we have to give each other room to be human. (Read Forgiveness is empowerment.)

8. Encourage your partner to think out loud.
Nothing unsaid ever goes unnoticed. Even if you don't talk about what is on your mind, your behaviour will reflect your true feelings. Talking about what you are feeling will prevent you from acting out and perhaps creating an unnecessary conflict.

9. Promote the belief that laughter is good, and playing it cool is not.
A sense of humour may be one of the best things you can bring to a relationship. Couples who laugh together stay together and stay healthy.

10. Recognize that your emotional connection to your partner makes even the impossible seem possible.
Having a strong emotional bond will help both of you deal with the inevitable difficulties that arise in life.

For more great advice on making the emotional connection with your partner pick up a copy of Emotional Fitness for Couples by Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D.

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Excerpted from Emotional Fitness for Couples by Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. Copyright 2005 by Barton Goldsmith. Excerpted with permission by New Harbinger Publications. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.