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Healthy Relationships
Recipe for a Healthy Relationship
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of Fairness
- 2 tbsp of Honesty
- 1 quart of Respect
- 2 lovin’ spoonfuls of Trust & Support
- A pinch of Economic Partnership
- One-hundred percent Non-Threatening Behavior
- Combine Ingredients in an embrace and heat to 98.6 degrees.
- Let it rise with patience and time.
- Serve with a dash of kisses.
Serves Two.
From the Chefs at: Sexual Assault Services & Health Education Services
SUB I, Room 220 /
(703) 993-9999
What Are Healthy Relationships?
Healthy relationships are characterized by respect, sharing and trust. They are based on the belief that both partners are equal, that the power and control in the relationship are equally shared. Some of the characteristics of a healthy relationship are:
- Respect – listening to one another, valuing each other’s opinions, and listening in a non-judgmental manner. Respect also involves attempting to understand and affirm the other’s emotions.
- Trust and support – supporting each other’s goals in life and respecting each other’s right to his/her own feelings, opinions, friends, activities and interests. It is valuing one’s partner as an individual.
- Honesty and accountability – communicating openly and truthfully, admitting mistakes or being wrong, acknowledging past use of violence, and accepting responsibility for one’s self.
- Shared responsibility – making relationship decisions together, mutually agreeing on a distribution of work which is fair to both partners.
- Economic partnership – making financial decisions together and making sure both partners benefit from financial arrangements.
- Negotiation and fairness – being willing to compromise, accepting change, and seeking mutually satisfying solutions to conflict.
- Non-threatening behavior – talking and acting in a way that promotes both partners’ feelings of safety in the relationship. Both should feel comfortable and safe expressing him/herself and in engaging in activities of one’s choice.
Source: Katherine, A., Boundaries: Where you end and I begin, Fireside Publications, 2000)
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