Improving Communication

Communicating isn’t always easy.

“Why are you still single?”

It’s your mom, and she’s asking you about your dating life – again. You know she means well, but you feel worse about yourself every time she brings it up. Why can’t she just leave it alone?

You’d love to tell her that you don’t want to discuss it with her, but you’re afraid of hurting her feelings. Even worse, she might think you’re ungrateful for all the support she’s given you.

On the other hand, she won’t know how you feel if you don’t say anything. She’ll keep bringing it up, which will only lead to more frustration, feeling criticized, and defensiveness.

It just feels easier to try not to let it upset you. After all, if you weren’t so sensitive, there wouldn’t be a problem.

You want to feel heard and understood, but…

Expressing your authentic feelings can be scary.

You know what you want to say, so why is your heart beating so fast?

What if they take it the wrong way?

What if they get upset or feel hurt?

What if they reject me?

What if they think I’m needy? Or too sensitive? Or annoying?

It feels easier to hold it in.

Perhaps open communication didn’t end well for you in the past. Maybe you were belittled… not taken seriously… or your feelings were dismissed.

If you don’t share what’s on your mind, they can’t get mad at you.

And you hate that feeling when someone is upset with you.

You’d do anything to avoid that feeling.

But not expressing yourself has even greater costs – it keeps you from feeling connected and safe.

Right now, you have a particular relationship with communication – Avoiding it.

But we can change that.

You’ll discover how to communicate your feelings, needs, and boundaries without letting the desire for external approval stop you.

You’ll be able to access your courage and tolerate the discomfort of saying something that might be perceived as hurtful.

And you’ll internalize how to get in touch with and assert your needs while feeling safe.

You will learn that…

It’s okay for people to feel upset or disappointed with you. It doesn’t mean you’re wrong or bad.

People’s perception of you is not the truth of who you are.

You are safe to speak your truth, even if it is not another person’s truth.

Your needs and boundaries matter.

Here’s how you’ll get there:

We’ll analyze your communication patterns.

We’ll explore your needs, wants, and what makes you happy.

You’ll discover what you need out of relationships.

You’ll learn new communication styles and how to look at situations in a positive light.

We’ll talk about how to set boundaries and assert yourself.

You’ll start to communicate authentically, not faking how you feel.

You CAN be a better communicator.

I am here to help you ask for what you need!

If you’d like to improve the quality of your communication, reach out today.