Basic Steps to Maintaining a Good, Healthy Relationship

• Be aware of what you and your partner want for yourselves and what you want from the relationship.  

• Let one another know what your needs are & be able to communicate them assertively.  You aren’t psychic & neither is he/she. 

• Realize that your partner will not be able to meet all of your needs - some needs will be met outside of the relationship.   

• Do not demand that a partner change to meet all your expectations. Work to accept differences that you see between your 

ideal (how you would like things to be) & the reality (how they really are).  

• Expect conflict - be willing to negotiate & compromise on the things you want from one another.  

• Perspective-taking & empathy - try to see things from the other’s point of view and to accept them. You don’t have to agree to 

respect and understand differences.  

• Realize that healthy relationships take continual work and effort to maintain.  When differences come up, try to negotiate.  

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