What Is Needed for a Healthy Relationship?

1. Honesty: A relationship can only last if it is built on a foundation of honesty. Both you and your partner need to be honest with yourselves and with each other. Make sure what you think, say, and do are in harmony.
2. Trust: Trust breeds comfort and peace in a relationship. It prevents you from being affected by rumors and helps you avoid being constantly worried about whether your partner is being true to you.
3. Respect: Respect for each other means that you appreciate your similarities and differences, and that you are willing to understand the other person's thoughts and feelings. 
4. Love: Real, lasting love takes effort to sustain. Put your partner first and be willing to accept them for who they are, including their flaws.
5. Commitment: How long your relationship will last depends on how committed you are to make it last. Being committed means making the other person a priority so that you are there for each other durings your highs and lows.
6. Understanding: Since you are two distinct people, there may be times when your views differ. But being understanding means that you make an effort to understand each other’s values, goals, wants, and needs.
7. Communication: Talking openly with your partner helps build trust and understanding. Do not be scared that communicating your feelings will lead to fights or arguments. A happy couple is not the one that never fights, but one that fights for the right reasons and tries to resolve differences..
8. Intimacy: Spending quality time with your partner helps you open up and allow yourselves to be vulnerable with each other. It does not make you look weak or needy; rather it strengthens your bond.
9. Forgiveness: You may not like something your partner did, but if it was just a mistake or something they truly apologize for, it’s important to move past forgive them and move on. Forgive yourself too when you are wrong. Holding onto guilt and grudges can deteriorate a relationship.
10. Compassion: Compassion helps you put yourself in each other’s shoes and see things from their perspective. Being considerate and caring can go far in helping your relationship last.
11. Patience: When two people from different backgrounds, with different personalities and goals, come together, sometimes differences can pose obstacles. Be patient even when things seem challenging. Listen to each other’s views without judgment. This will build trust and respect and help you avoid misunderstandings.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy relationship, make sure to avoid the following pitfalls:

• Lying to your partner
• Not paying attention to each other
• Getting angry over petty things
• Avoiding talking about things openly and honestly
• Not giving each other enough space
• Doubting each other’s intentions
• Not letting each other express their views
• Trying to change each other than letting each other be themselves
• Sharing secrets with others
• Being always on the receiving end
• Criticizing too much
• Not taking care of your health and appearance
• Not accepting your mistakes
• Always putting your interests above theirs

Sometimes, you and your partner may not realize what is causing trouble in your relationship, just like you cannot read a book when it is too close to your eyes. A counselor helps reveal the root of the issue and help answer important questions, such as how can you avoid disagreements, how can you make your bond stronger, and whether or not you truly wish to be in the relationship. 

Some people think that a counselor is only needed when things have completely gone out of hand, but this is not the case. A counselor can help you strengthen your bond further and equip you with tools you can use to avoid problems in the future.