Each person has an emotional bond connected to the DNA. It means humans are naturally driven to associate with each other emotionally. As a result, feeling secure and safe arising from emotional intimacy is the essence of a couple’s long-lasting relationship and well-being.
However, during times of crisis, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, couples experience mixed emotions such as anger, sadness, shame, anxiety, etc. These negative emotions result from the consequences of the crisis, such as loss of jobs, social distancing, disruption of normal activities, etc.
Therefore, in times of stress and crisis, it becomes difficult for the couples to express the love they feel inside, and their emotional presence gets hijacked by fear. Fear, in turn, keeps couples from bonding in a more significant manner.
Below are a few suggestions to help couples connect more deeply and increase their bonds during a crisis.
Couples should primarily set an intention to open up.
When couples engage, each partner should create some room to express their feelings as they communicate. They should give voice to the fears that distract them and the grief associated with the loss of life as they knew it. Also, they should express the sense of vulnerability they may be feeling due to an unstable life.
Couples should learn to speak slowly and deliberately
Slow and deliberate speech calms and deepens connections to what is happening inside your partner while reducing anxiety.
Slowing down a speech gives a couple the chances to attentively feel and reflect on what they are saying. It also allows their expressions to originate genuinely from their heart. It is a simple approach, yet highly effective way of enhancing communication and healthy bond.
Couples should create an opportunity to communicate from a more profound emotional place.
Sometimes, despite feeling nervous or distressed, couples need to lean into the discomfort or fear of speaking freely and being vulnerable.
Putting words into feelings may be challenging initially, but they should not try it all at once. A couple can start slowly and progress by expressing themselves a little more every time. You can begin by simply acknowledging that you feel vulnerable.
A couple should strengthen connections by getting comfortable together
When spouses start to feel more comfortable, they should progress to the next step. Once a couple masters the art of making eye contacts, remaining silent while listening to each other concerns, and focused on their feelings, they will strengthen their bonds.
Also, they should encourage themselves to absorb any problematic experience a little longer each time. With time, the couple’s capacity to be present emotionally with each other will improve, and the uncomfortable experience decreases.
Final thoughts from the Recover
When couples learn to face fears resulting from a crisis or uncomfortable conditions and share and express themselves about their concerns, changes will occur. They will be able to inhabit each moment comfortably as they respond more sensitively and skillfully together.
Eventually, their experiences will become more productive and create a strong bond, which is a crucial aspect in times of crisis.
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