EXERCISE 5: Practicing communication skills

Please prepare for the following session as indicated below:

What is most important in a relationship is communication. Do you really talk about the things that are important to you? Do you make any eye contact or how do you actually communicate. In the next session, we will do a simple exercise:

Please prepare individually for the exercise by practicing a 3-minute speech on each of the three topics

1: I chose you because....

2: My greatest fear in opening up to you....

3: What I hope to gain by opening up to you is....

Topic 1

Partner A: "I chose you as the person with whom I would form an intimate relationship because...”(3 min)

Partner B: "Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."

Partner B: "I chose you as the person with whom I would form an intimate relationship because...”(3min)

Partner A: "Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."

Topic 2

Partner A: "My greatest fear in opening up to you has been ..." (3 min)

Hint: Use "I statements not "you" statements. Avoid saying, "My greatest fear in opening up to you has been that you would not handle it well.” Instead, offer statements such as "My greatest fear in opening up to you has been that I didn't trust myself enough because..."

Partner B: "Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."

Partner B: "My greatest fear in opening up to you has been..." (3min)

Partner A: "Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."

Topic 3

Partner A: "What I hope to gain by opening up to you is..." (3min)

Partner B: "Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."

Partner B: "What I hope to gain by opening up to you is...” (3min)

Partner A: ""Thank you for caring enough to share, and I promise to consider it carefully."