In a previous relationship help article (Relationship Needs: Are Your Needs Hurting Your Relationship), we explored how a sense of entitlement (holding unrealistic relationship expectations that your spouse/partner should and can meet all your needs) sets up a slippery slope that can undermine your marriage/relationship.

Just as damaging to your relationship is the denial and failure to acknowledge your relationship needs—to yourself and to your spouse/partner. The fulfillment of our emotional and physical needs is central to our well-being, to feeling psychologically whole, engaged and fully alive in the world. But most of us haven’t been raised and taught to identify and effectively communicate our emotional needs.

Relationship Needs: The most important step is knowing where to start

The first and most important step in this process is being able to clearly identify your needs (which is not always an easy task). All too often couples are more attuned to the fallout of not getting their needs met (consequences such as depression, anger, resentment, a lack of intimacy) than they are at proactively identifying and communicating these needs. 

Below is a list of relationship needs to help you begin the process of identifying your needs. As you read through the list, it’s important to note that not all of the listed needs will resonate for you (and you might think of some of your own needs that aren’t listed here). The goal is to identify which needs speak to you the loudest—which are most relevant to your life and to your relationship, and which needs (when met) will bring you the greatest fulfillment.

List of Relationship Needs

(Please add any additional needs that might not be listed above)

Relationship Reality: The intensity of a particular need can wax and wane depending on the phase of your life (e.g. after retirement the need for adventure might become more central than before)–and the context/circumstances that you are in will also impact which needs increase or decrease in relevance  (e.g. after struggling emotionally for a period time, an increase in the need for security and harmony might be heightened). 

Needs aren’t static: Think of your relationship needs as multidimensional—influenced by your unique developmental history, genetics/biology, as well as context (the current and ever-changing circumstances of your life).  

The challenge and goal is to remain mindful of the shifting landscape of your relationship needs and to effectively share your evolving needs with your spouse/partner.

Marriage/Relationship Books-Resources

I) If you’re planning to marry, recently married or starting a committed relationship, I highly recommend the Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples, by Lisa Brookes Kift, MFT.

The Premarital Counseling Workbook for Couples gives you the structure and clarity to explore these vital relationship issues with your partner. And the best part is, you can do this from the comfort and privacy of your own home and at your own pace.

To find out more, Visit Lisa’s website for more information 

II)   I’ve brought together three essential relationship workbooks into one resource: The Marriage Enrichment workbook package–a savings of over 25% off the individual costs of each workbook!

All best,

Dr. Rich Nicastro

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