Table of Contents
Effective communication exercises for couples
Communication tips for couples aim to re-establish a deep connection. Through these fifteen communication exercises, you will find which one works for you and which ones you can try first.
Couple exercise #1: Relaxing fireside chats
Thanks to former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, this term has been widespread.
Fireside chats are a friendly talk with someone in front of a relaxing fireplace. It symbolizes warmth, openness, and a relaxing atmosphere to talk.
It’s one of the best communication-building activities for couples who want to set aside differences and just focus on the things they love.
Begin strengthening your bond by talking first. Talk about your childhood, favorite food, bucket lists in life, and so much more. Think of it as a ‘safe’ conversation or a warm-up.
Another one of the communication exercises for couples that spouses must indulge in is sharing their emotions.
For many, this may not come easily and may take years for the two to share their feelings easily. To encourage and nurture your marriage, go on a couples’ retreat and express your innermost emotions and vulnerable side to the other.
Learning and adhering to these couples’ communication exercises can help couples deal with sensitive issues. Sometimes poor communication does far more than limit your ability to deal with common issues.
Couple communication exercises are your best shot at building and maintaining a great relationship.
Couple exercise #3: Communication is taking turns
One lesson that we need to understand when it comes to effective communication is that we need to take turns. This communication exercises for couples addresses that.
Get a timer and set it for 3-5 minutes, then choose who will go first. Now, start the timer and start talking without the other interrupting.
The partner can’t talk because it’s not yet their turn. They could use non-verbal signs to show acknowledgment, understanding, and empathy.
This teaches the couple to respect their partner’s time and listen while waiting for their turn. It also shows respect.
Once the timer goes off, reset it, and it’s the other person’s turn.
Couple exercise #4: Look into each other’s eyes
We may have seen this with couple communication exercises with the help of a therapist, but you can do it in the comforts of your own home.
Get two chairs and position them facing each other.
Make sure you are in a room without distraction. Ask your partner to sit down; for five minutes, don’t talk. Just sit down and face each other and ensure you look into each other’s eyes.
The couple is asked to allow their thoughts to work solely one eye contact alone in those five minutes. No actions and no verbal communication.
Look at your partner. What do you see? What do you feel?
Relay what you felt, what you saw in your partner’s eyes, and what you learned through this experience.
Assertive communication exercises for couples
Communication issues weaken the relationship strings.
Couples communication therapy also discusses communication style. There’s aggressive, passive, and what we recommend, assertive.
Relationship communication exercises assist couples in understanding each other’s communication styles and developing a stronger, assertive style that will allow both partners to feel respected, valued, and heard.
Couple exercise #5: What I like and don’t like about you
Marriage communication exercises for couples aim at enhancing the love connection between the couples and improving marriage communication.
In this exercise, both partners must resort to a quiet place and list three things they like and dislike about their spouse. Then present the same to your spouse.
Couple exercise #6: Use I instead of You
“You are so lazy! You could start helping with the household chores!”
When in an argument, we often use words like “you,” “should,” and “could,” but these words lead the other person to feel attacked and would, of course, be defensive towards you.
This will cause the argument to get bigger.
Couple exercise #7: Remember when you said…
Relationship communication exercises also make you comfortable with each other. When you’ve established this, it would be the best time to try this communication exercise.
This emphatic communication exercise will ask the couple to list three statements or words used before. Statements that were used in any disagreement before that were hurtful.
Once that is done, you can work together and see if you can reformat how you said it, this time, in a more respectful way.
Couple exercise #8: Words are blades that hurt
Do you still remember the words that your partner said to you that were disrespectful, below the belt, and just rude?
The couple should create a list and then read it out loud. Then they each have a turn to explain how a single word affected them negatively.
Sometimes, we say words we don’t mean because of anger, not knowing how bad these words can be.
Communication and trust-building exercises for couples
Trust is another foundation of a healthy relationship. If you have a healthy communication with your partner, you will also have a firm foundation of security with each other.
Aside from that, these are fun communication exercises for couples.
Couple exercise #9: Trust and listen game
One partner creates a fun obstacle course with “mines or bombs” while the other is being blindfolded.
Using verbal cues, the creator of the obstacle then guides the one blindfolded through the course, making sure they don’t step on the “bombs.”
Trust, listening skills, and how you communicate will determine your success.
Couple exercise #10: Copy me
Another fun communication exercise for couples that you will love. The goal is to listen to your partner and achieve the same goal.
Sit back to back and have the same set and number of building blocks. Then, one should create a structure and instruct the other through words alone. No looking!
This builds trust, active listening, and how you use words.
Couple exercise #11: Lend me a hand
This game is another way to work on communication, build trust, and achieve the same goal.
The couple has an arm that is tied behind their backs. Then, both will communicate actions and instructions to get things done.
Tasks could include wearing clothes, fixing a room, tying shoes, etc. It may look like a simple task, but without one arm, it’s almost impossible to do it unless you have your partner with you.
Couple exercise #12: You, me & our future
When you’re done with the fun and games, lie in bed and just talk about your plans.
It could be about having kids, starting a business, or getting married.
The goal is to connect. While at it, you could also start a couple’s journal. Therapies also tell couples to do this because it keeps them on track. Know what you want with the person you love, and most of all, never forget to stay connected.
Jay Shetty, a famous storyteller, podcaster & former monk shares another fun game that could also help with your bond and enhance your communication skills.
Communication exercises for engaged couples
Couple exercise #13: “Use mirroring, validation, and empathy”
Number thirteen of the top 15 communication exercises for couples is structured conversation.
For this activity, set aside time to talk with your partner and select a topic to talk about.
Once a topic is selected both partners should begin to converse. Rather than communicating as you normally would, create more structure in the dialog by using mirroring, validation, and empathy.
Mirroring is repeating what your spouse said in your own words back to them in a way that expresses curiosity/interest. Validating in a conversation is conveying understanding.
A simple, “I get what you’re saying” is all that is needed. Lastly, empathy is expressing interest in how your partner feels by saying something like, “How does that make you feel?”
Couple exercise #14: Play positive language games
Second on the list of relationship improvement and communication exercises for couples is the positive language game.
Couples communication entails a lot of challenges. Reactive, presumptuous, and accusatory behavior is the ultimate obstacle to improving communication in a relationship.
This is one of the powerful communication skills exercises where couples must replace negative language with positive language.
The next time you are about to say something negative to your partner about their actions or behavior, stop and come up with a more positive way to get your message across.
This makes individuals more aware of how they communicate, and it can reverse negative communication patterns.
A person never wants to come across as accusatory or judgmental to the person they love .
Such communication activities for married couples help break the toxic and negative communication.
