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Stop Feeling Invisible
in Your Relationship

Stop Feeling Invisible
in Your Relationship

You drop hints, try to tell your partner how you feel, or bring things up gently, but nothing changes.  Learn how to improve your relationship communication today!

Get Your Relationship Communication Score

Don’t give up hope, it’s possible to feel close again.

So many couples find themselves stuck in the same painful patterns. They miss moments for connection, they talk over each other, or they simply shut down and pull away.

But there is hope. You can find your way back to each other.

Gottman research involving over 3,000 couples found a powerful difference between relationships that lasted and those that didn’t:

Couples who stayed married turned toward one another and responded to small everyday attempts to connect 86% of the time. In contrast, couples who divorced did so only 33% of the time.

Lasting love is about showing up for one another, day by day and moment by moment. Even small shifts in how you respond to each other can make a huge impact.

You’re not broken. You’re not failing. And you don’t have to do this alone.

Did you know…

Couples often ignore each other’s emotional needs out of mindlessness, not malice.

- Dr. John Gottman

Get your Relationship Communication Score

Answer simple questions and learn more about key relationship communication indicators like Feeling Heard, Turning Towards and Stonewalling

The Single Best Way Start Your Future Together

The Gottman Relationship Adviser

Original price was: $250.00.Current price is: $189.00.

Big decisions bring up big emotions. Even the healthiest couples can feel overwhelmed when faced with questions about moving in, marriage, or starting a family. But you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need to be willing to talk to each other, listen to each other, and grow together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find out what your Relationship Communication Score is.

Feeling invisible in your relationship is painful, but it’s often not intentional. Gottman research shows that many couples miss bids for connection simply because they’re distracted, stressed, or unaware. It’s usually not because they don’t care. The good news is, you can learn to notice and respond to each other’s needs more effectively.

You can learn more about working through perpetual problems with the Gottman Relationship Adviser, or spot-check with the Dealing with Conflict Coach program.

A bid for connection is any attempt—big or small, verbal or nonverbal—to get your partner’s attention. It could be a question, touch, or even a sigh. Couples who recognize and respond to these bids build trust and emotional safety over time. Ignoring bids, on the other hand, can lead to distance and loneliness. Learning to spot them can transform your relationship!

This is a communication pattern the Gottmans call “stonewalling”. It’s where one partner emotionally shuts down during difficult conversations. It’s often a sign of feeling overwhelmed, not a lack of love. Learning how to approach these moments gently and create emotional safety can help your partner tune in more to your conversations in the future. Gottman tools teach how to recognize and respond to stonewalling.

It’s often not the topic, but the way the conversation starts. Gottman research shows that 94% of the time, the way a discussion begins determines how it will end. If you start a conversation with blame, criticism, or raised voices, it’s likely not going to go anywhere productive. Learning how to use soft start-ups and “I” statements can make a huge difference.

A soft start-up is a communication technique that involves expressing an issue without blame. It often involves this formula: “I feel _____ about ______ and I need _______.”

Start small. Begin by noticing how you approach conversations, especially during tense moments. Are there improvements you could be making? Using a softer tone, expressing how you feel instead of what your partner is doing wrong, and listening to understanding instead of listening to respond are all great places to start.

Gottman Relationship Couples Blog

Read all about building lasting, healthy relationships in the dating and premarital section of the Gottman Relationship Blog.

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Ready to feel heard again?

Your relationship deserves more than silence, shutdowns, or missed connection. It’s time to see and hear each other again.

Get Your Relationship Communication Score
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