The SYMBIS Assessment PlanSample

Dynamics: Communication

Did you know that communication is the very lifeblood of your relationship? And yet it is the number one complaint most couples have about their relationship.

“We just don’t communicate,” is a common refrain in many counselors’ offices. Or, “We never have time just to talk” is one we hear a lot. But the one that makes us cringe the most is “When we finally find the time to talk, we don’t have anything to say.”

Whether a relationship sinks or swims depends on how well a husband and wife send and receive messages, how well they use their conversations to understand and be understood.

Think about it. If you are feeling especially close to your partner, it is because you are communicating well. Your spirits are up. You are in tune. And when communication falls flat, when you feel stuck and you’re talking in circles, relational satisfaction drops. As we said in our recent book, Love Talk, communication, more than any other aspect of your relationship, can either buoy relational intimacy or be the deadweight of its demise.

That’s why this page of your SYMBIS Assessment is so important. It literally reveals your personal “talk styles.” And regardless of how each of you is hard-wired for a conversation, one thing is certain: As a married couple you will need to exert special effort to keep your talk-life alive.

So after reviewing this page of your SYMBIS Report, what do you believe you’ll need to work on personally to live out this biblical passage from I Peter and why?

For a weekly dose of encouragement for your marriage, check out Les & Leslie’s blog, Devotion, at LesandLeslie.com