Private: Great Sex is all about Listening

by | Nov 14, 2017 | Counselling, Couples, Love, Marriage, Relationship Advice, Relationship Coach, Relationship Problems | 0 comments

I want to talk to you about making love. Not sex but making love happen, in the small and important moments together, so that even when you’re having a difficult discussion or disagreement, you know how to make love happen between you.

There is an art and a science to this. The art is to let your partner know they are the centre of your world for this conversation.

You make love happen when you give your full attention to your partner and let them know that you really want to understand their perspective about this issue. And you’ll wait until you do before you share your own. You’re putting them first. You’re creating dialogue and a sense of sharing, not trying to convince and persuade.

You look at your partner carefully, respectfully, attentively and without judgement.

You make love happen when you listen. I mean really listen, catching their words and the feelings they are sharing with you. You take time to share what you’ve heard so your partner can help you – if you’ve got off track or misunderstood something they’ve said. You’re listening to understand them better.

This isn’t as easy as it sounds, because it also means you stop your chattering thoughts – you know – thinking about what you want to say next, your opinion your ideas, your suggestions to solve this problem between you.

The science confirms that when you can repeat back what you’ve heard your partner say, in particular using their words, you create so much more trust, and so much opportunity to relax more into the conversation, and learn more about each other.

Making love happen is you let your partner know you want to ‘get it’ from their point of view, before you need to share your own ideas.

Want to know more about how to make more love in your relationship?

Navigating Family Relationships and Business Challenges: 6 Signs It’s Time for Coaching

Managing the different stresses, strains and perceptions between personal relationships and business partnerships in a family (or value-driven) business can be challenging. It is not uncommon to find yourself stumbling through difficult times trying to clarify...

The Skills of Conflict Confidence© – Manage Difficult Emotions

We must address our discomfort with difficult emotions like anger, envy, resentment and revenge to effectively manage conflict. We create trouble by lacking the skills· ... to confront with patience, insight and imagination the many problems that we face in our...

How much Rudeness is Tolerated in Your Workplace?

Is unnecessary rudeness tolerated in your workplace? Have you ever been shouted at during a meeting? Repeatedly been ignored, interrupted or criticised by a colleague? Had your opinions or concerns brushed off or dismissed because of your gender, status or work role?...

The First 3 Minutes of Difficult Conversations Predict the Outcome

The likelihood of a difficult conversation ending in an escalating argument, or finding a reasonable resolution and compromise, all depends on how you start. When there's potential for tension and heightened emotions, research shows what you do in the first 3 minutes...

Keeping Your Cool this Christmas!

The pressures at the end of the year can be overwhelming and can lead to increased stress, heightened emotions and lots of potential for relationship conflicts over the festive period. And then there’s that ONE DAY where you feel you need to get everything right. Or...

Could Conflict Coaching Help You Improve Your Relationships?

What is Conflict Coaching? In our increasingly diverse world, with different views, personalities, communication styles and expectations, conflicts are more likely. Conflict coaching is a confidential way to increase your self-awareness, gain insight into the...

Confident Conflict Conversations: ‘It Never Gets Easier, You Just Get Better’

How do you initiate conversations that make you uncomfortable and vulnerable?   When you’re hesitant to talk about conflict, it can be tempting to avoid the issue altogether, but that can have disastrous results.    As I leave my gym there’s a sign that...

First Principles of Conflict Confidence©: Conflict is a skill, Not an Emotion

Many years ago, sadly, I was very adept at being caught up in unpleasant conflicts – and it was a mystery to me how I got there!   After one particularly stupid experience I decided this must end. And so, my passion was ignited for untangling what really works to...

You Mainly Feel the Way You Think

“Much of what we call emotion is nothing more or lessthan a certain kind – a biased, prejudiced, or strongly evaluative – kind of thought.”Albert Ellis. Albert Ellis was an American psychologist and academic who in the 1960s proposed there are twelve [12] irrational...

COVID Frustrations & Harassment of Frontline Workers

Despite how intelligent or sensible we think we are, we’re all a little irrational. This is especially true in conflict or stressful situations. Some people have irrational beliefs that amplify their reactive emotions. This leads to difficult behaviours, angry...