Matching Communication Styles

Sometimes we can say things to our partner and it can be taken in a way very different than what we intended. Some people are more visual while others more auditory. Some people need to see love while others need to hear it. Some people give gifts as a sign of appreciation, while others give hugs. If you give a gift giver a hug, or a hugger a gift, they may not interpret it as appreciation because you are not matching their style. You can improve relationships by coming to understand the other person’s dominant style, and then using that style with them.

-Ken Fields, MA, LPC