Relationship Advice Tips By Dr. Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D.
Do you wish you could have fun with your partner as you did in the early days of your romance?
That wish may hold the secret to improving the quality of the connection with your loved one.
Tapping deep into that wish is a vision of play. That’s right, play.
Playing on the beach brings the fun back
But what kind of play? Play that connects rather than separates.
Play WITH your partner instead of alongside your partner.
Playing physically builds trust and intimacy
That means
- playing ball in a pool
- playing in the bath or shower together
- playing in the sand on the beach
- making a joint collage or scrap book
- Inventing recipes together
- planting seeds and nurturing plants/vegetables/fruits together
It does not mean golf, or board games that are competitive or intellectual. Those formal games set up all sorts of expectations fed by past experiences. They create distance.
Playing with your partner brings out a desire to engage from a place of spontaneity, enjoying the moment of togetherness for it’s own sake. Intimacy has a space to grow safely and remain available after play time ends.
Building good memories through play
- Benefits of getting into ‘play mode’
- You are in the moment and present with each other
- Old wounds don’t have room to infiltrate the moment and cause friction
- Witnessing your partner laugh and let their hair down brings the emotional climate to a warm and affectionate temperature
- Defenses are down and you see one another as you really are
- Trust builds
- Intimacy thrives
- You choose to stay close because it feels good
Copyright, Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D.
Disclaimer: receipt of this information does not constitute a therapeutic relationship with Dr. Jeanette Raymond. All information is for educational purposes only. There is no liability on the part of Dr. Raymond for any reactions you may have when implementing any of all of the strategies outlined.
