Your 'love' messages can get lost in translation

In many of our relationships miscommunication or misinterpretations can lead to hurt, dissociation and failure of the relationship. If your partner expresses affection in a way that you do not recognize you may think they do not care.

In Gary Chapman's book called The Five Love Languages I have found a little gem that can radically change the way you communicate and experience your relationship...

The Five Love Languages are summarised as:

1. Words of affirmation

2. Quality time

3. Receiving gifts

4. Acts of service

5. Physical Touch

Communicate your relationship needs

If you are wanting to show him you love him, and you decide to give him a back rub, it may go totally 'unheard' if he is someone that actually feels loved when you wash his car. By discussing each other's communication needs and style it could prevent many future misunderstandings, and make the relationship so much more fulfilling.

Know each other's style of love expression

If one needs quality 'together' time to feel loved and the other comunicates by buying gifts, both will be frustrated until this is clarified as one will be out shopping, and the other left feeling neglected. The partners within a couple most frequently have totally different modes of expression. Knowing each other's style can move things to a whole new level, and give a relationship a fighting chance.

Author info: Dr. Liesl Roome

Dr Liesl Roome is a medical doctor who owns Clinic Reju which offers a broad spectrum of services, and also provides sexual health communications tools - especially for women. For more information go to www.clinicreju.com