Cultivating Emotional Intimacy: Strategies for Deepening Connection
As humans, we inherently crave connection with others. Whether we are in or pursuing romantic, platonic, or familial relationships, feeling seen, heard, and appreciated by others can lead to positive mental and physical health outcomes, including reduced symptoms of anxiety, increased self-esteem, and improved immune systems.
As we create connections with others, we can experience feelings of happiness, excitement, and joy. As those connections begin to deepen. Cultivating emotional intimacy with another person is imperative to building lasting, positive relationships. But it can be daunting to consider exactly how to deepen those bonds. To support you in deepening your connections with others, in addition to couples counseling, here are four tips to consider implementing!
Four Tips on Deeping The Connection in Your Relationship
Put The Phone/Device Away
Don’t just place your cell phone face-down on the table…put it AWAY! Having a phone or device present signals to the other person that someone/something else could come up and be more important than them.
If you are going to dinner with a friend, meeting a partner for coffee, or sitting at a cafe with a colleague you would like to know better, place the phone/device out of both of your visions.
Actively Listen
If you are trying to connect with someone but are not giving them your undivided attention, they will not feel important and likely feel hesitant to continue building a close relationship with you. Listen to their words as they speak with you. Observe their body language.
Don’t glance at your phone, pay unnecessary attention to others, or interrupt. To cultivate emotional intimacy, it is important for both people to feel seen and heard. By giving them your undivided attention during time with them, they will feel respected, seen, and heard.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
Asking open-ended questions creates space to get to know someone else on a deeper, more meaningful level. Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with a “yes” or a “no”. They require more depth and explanation in response. Open-ended questions can reveal a lot about someone’s values, dreams, goals, insecurities, fears, etc., and incorporating these kinds of questions into your relationship can increase your emotional connection*. An example of an open-ended question to foster intimacy could be, “Where do you see your life in five years?”, “How did you end up in your field?”, “What are some things you love about your life right now?”, etc.
*If you feel nervous about asking open-ended questions, there is an easy way to incorporate this strategy could be before or after watching a movie or attending an event with someone! You could ask them, “What drew you to this movie?” or “What about the event stood out to you?”
Sharing
Sharing a hobby, interest, movie, book, experience, favorite food, etc. with another person can be a fun way to increase connection. Enjoying (or loathing!) a new restaurant, an exercise class, a novel, etc. can create space for lively conversation. Or bonding that can deepen your level of emotional intimacy.
Ready to Begin Couples Counseling in Indianapolis, IN?
Elevate your relationship to new heights of emotional intimacy and connection with our specialized couples counseling. Uncover the keys to deeper understanding, vulnerability, and lasting love as you and your partner embark on a journey of shared growth at Indiana CRC. Ignite the spark of genuine closeness – take the first step towards a more profound and fulfilling connection by following these three simple steps:
Contact us to schedule an appointment for couples counseling.
Begin meeting with one of our skilled and caring couples therapists
Begin deepening your connection with your partner!
Other Services Offered at Indiana Counseling & Resilience Center
At Indiana Counseling & Resilience Center, we want to support our clients with any mental health struggle they may be facing. So, in addition to couples counseling, our team of skilled and caring therapists specializes in trauma & PTSD counseling, anxiety therapy, and EMDR therapy. Indiana CRC also provides group therapy for those seeking extra support. Our services are offered both in-person and online in the state of Indiana. For more about us check out our FAQs!
