Types of Relationship Listening to Master on National Day of Listening
For a better relationship, listen up
Although the day after Thanksgiving is associated with kicking off the Christmas shopping frenzy, it is also National Day of Listening, which was created by StoryCorps to encourage us to tell stories to our loved ones in order to preserve our histories and get to know each other better.
But the art of listening is something we can incorporate into our relationships on a regular basis. When we think about communication in relationships, we often think of it in terms of being able to speak about our needs. However, that is only part of the puzzle: Without strong listening skills, we can experience relationship problems in much the same way that we can when we have issues speaking to our partner.
In order to get insights on why listening is vital for developing a healthy relationship, I spoke to Cassandra LeClair, Ph.D., communication studies professor at Texas State University and author of Being Whole: Healing from Trauma and Reclaiming My Voice*, who shared information on the types of listening we use in our romantic relationships and why they are so important.
Why is listening important in relationships?
