Communication

Relationship advice

Trust Building Exercises for Couples

Explore effective trust-building exercises for couples, including communication techniques, shared goals, and daily practices to strengthen your relationship.
Relationship advice

Ultimate Guide to Active Listening for Couples

Enhance your relationship through active listening techniques that foster understanding, reduce conflict, and strengthen emotional bonds.
Relationship advice
Couple smiling on a video call, showing connection in long-distance love.

Managing Expectations in Long-Distance Relationships

Learn how to manage expectations and communication in long-distance relationships to strengthen your bond and avoid common pitfalls.
Relationship advice
Couple cuddling on a couch, showing intimacy and trust.

How Transparency Strengthens Trust in Relationships

Explore how transparency fosters trust in relationships through honest communication, emotional intimacy, and accountability.
Relationship advice
Parents working online with kid beside, showing balance of family and work.

How Couples Therapy Helps Parents Manage Time

Couples therapy equips parents with tools for better communication, task delegation, and time management, fostering a harmonious family life.
Relationship advice
Couple arguing with gestures, showing conflict and miscommunication.

Communication Problems: 5 Solutions That Work

Explore effective communication strategies to resolve conflicts and strengthen relationships through active listening, structured dialogue, and more.
Couples therapy
Couple sitting with a therapist, beginning their relationship support journey.

How to Start Couples Therapy: A Beginner's Guide

Learn how to effectively start couples therapy with clear goals, understanding patterns, and choosing the right support for your relationship.
Relationship advice
Smiling couple looking at each other, showing warmth and connection.

Relationship Health Checklist for Couples

Regular check-ups on communication, trust, and intimacy can strengthen your relationship and foster deeper connections between partners.
Relationship advice
Couple relaxing together in the sun, showing peace and reconnection.

Burnout Recovery: Relaxation Practices for Couples

Couples can recover from burnout through relaxation techniques, open communication, and shared activities that rebuild intimacy and trust.
Relationship advice
Couple setting goals together as the man writes, showing teamwork and unity.

How Shared Goals Improve Couple Communication

Explore how shared goals can enhance communication in relationships, fostering trust, collaboration, and greater satisfaction between partners.
Relationship advice
Couple talking at a coffee shop, showing healthy boundaries and respect.

Healthy Boundaries vs. Controlling Behavior: How to Protect Your Relationship Without Pushing Each Other Away

Learn the difference between healthy boundaries and controlling behavior in relationships, and how to protect emotional connection without overstepping. This guide explores how to set respectful limits, communicate needs clearly, and build trust without resorting to control.
Relationship advice
Couple arguing, man holding head in distress, showing tension in communication.

5 Communication Traps Couples Fall Into and How to Avoid Them

Every couple hits bumps in communication, but it’s often the quiet patterns like shutting down, snapping, or assuming the worst, that create the most distance. In this blog, we explore five of the most common communication traps couples fall into, from criticism and defensiveness to avoiding conflict altogether. More importantly, you’ll learn how to break these patterns with simple, effective shifts that foster connection, not disconnection.
Relationship advice
Couple in heated argument, one partner near tears, showing resentment tension.

5 Signs of Resentment In Relationship and How to Fix It

Resentment rarely starts with a blow-up. It builds in the quiet moments, in the ones where you feel dismissed, misunderstood, or like you're carrying more than your share. Left unspoken, that weight can slowly shift the feel of a relationship. But when you notice the signs early and respond with care, there’s a real chance to soften the tension and find your way back to each other.
Relationship advice
Couple sitting apart and visibly upset, reflecting relationship struggles with different needs.

How to Handle Different Needs in a Relationship

When you and your partner want different things—whether it’s space vs. closeness or quiet vs. conversation—it can feel like you’re growing apart. But having different needs doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed. This blog offers expert-backed strategies for navigating those differences without losing connection. Learn how to communicate clearly, compromise without self-abandonment, create a “bridge plan” for tough moments, and recognize when outside support can help you move forward together.
Relationship advice
Woman sitting with her back to her partner, showing emotional distance in a rough patch.

How to Get Through a Rough Patch in a Relationship?

Wondering if your relationship is going through a rough patch or something more serious? This article breaks down five signs that suggest your relationship still has a strong foundation—like shared values, emotional effort, and a vision for the future—and how to reconnect when things feel off. It also covers the signs that may point to deeper issues and offers practical steps to rebuild connection with curiosity, intention, and support. If you're feeling stuck or uncertain, this is a grounded and hopeful guide for finding clarity and moving forward—together.
Relationship advice
Unhappy couple sitting apart, not talking, showing poor communication.

Why Do I Struggle to Communicate with My Partner?

Struggling to connect with your partner? Discover the emotional and psychological reasons communication can feel so hard—and what you can do to get back on the same page.
Relationship advice

How to Fix Lack of Communication in a Relationship

Learn how to fix lack of communication in a relationship, improve understanding, and rebuild trust with Our Ritual.
Relationship advice
Couple sitting on couch, laughing and looking lovingly, showing open communication.

What Is Open Communication in a Relationship | OurRitual

Learn what open communication in a relationship looks like and why it's essential. Get practical tips on how to open communication and be honest in partnerships.
Relationship advice
Couple embracing and smiling, showing reconciliation and making amends.

How to Apologize Without Saying Sorry in a Relationship?

Learn effective ways to apologize without saying sorry by focusing on empathy, meaningful gestures, and gain trust in relationships.
Relationship advice
Sad asian couple sit apart, showing tension in their marriage.

How to Improve Your Relationship: 10 Things to Work on

Healthy relationships don’t just happen—they’re built with intention, effort, and love. In “How to Improve Your Relationship: 10 Things to Work On,” we explore practical, expert-backed strategies to strengthen your bond and bring more joy to your partnership. From improving communication and building trust to managing stress as a team and celebrating milestones, this guide highlights actionable steps for creating a thriving, long-term relationship. Whether you’re reconnecting or simply maintaining what you already have, these tips will help you nurture emotional closeness, handle challenges with patience, and grow together. Ready to take your relationship to the next level? Let’s get to work!
Couples therapy
Two women in couples therapy, one speaking while the other listens.

What Not to Say During Your Couples Coaching Session

Have you considered what not to say during your couples therapy session? Read these tips from our experts.
Relationship advice
Older couple playfully boxing together indoors, smiling and active.

How to Keep a Relationship: Staying in the Heat

Getting great doesn’t happen overnight, and the same goes for relationships. It takes time and effort, and basically, a really good workout regime. Ask yourself how have you been approaching your relationships? Have you been a fan on the bleachers? Or are you out there bringing your A-game? Are you practicing, committing, and showing up how you want to be? Or is there somewhere that could use some more of your attention and focus?
Relationship advice
Couple sitting apart, looking away in silence, showing distance and tension.

How to Communicate Better with your Partner​: Communication Tips for Couples

Are you having problems communicating with your partner? These are Ritual’s 10 expert tips to deal with a partner who won’t communicate.
Relationship stages
Unhappy middle-aged woman taking off her wedding ring while ignoring her partner, symbolizing divorce and emotional distance.

5 Signs It’s Time For a Divorce and How to Avoid It

How do you know it's time to get a divorce? These are the 5 signs it's time for a divorce plus how to approach discussing divorce with your partner and how to avoid divorce.
Relationship advice
Couple having a serious discussion, expressing tension but staying engaged.

Conflict Resolution Skills 101: A Guide to Conflict Resolution in Your Relationship

Healthy disagreements, amicable resolutions, and parenting discussions. This is everything you need to know about conflict resolution in your relationship.
Couples therapy
Couple in a therapy setting where the woman is expressing her viewpoint while the man listens attentively, symbolizing open communication and growth in counseling.

10 Tips for Getting The Most Out of Couples Therapy

How do you know if you’re getting the most out of your couples counseling, marriage counseling, or relationship guidance sessions? These are Ritual’s top 10 tips.
Relationship advice
Young couple playfully repairing a room together, symbolizing relationship healing, empathy, and the process of forgiveness.

Conflict Resolution in Relationships: Empathy and Forgiveness

For those of us having a hard time unlocking forgiveness, empathy can be the key.
Relationship advice
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How to be a Better Partner in a Relationship Through Word Choice

The word “but” sneaks into many of our sentences, sending messages of dismissal and sabotaging our efforts at effective communication. You'd be surprised to know what word you can use instead to form a team with your partner, and change how you communicate around differences and fears.
Relationship advice
Close-up of two hands gently touching, symbolizing connection and empathy.

Communication Skills for Couples: The Power of I-Statements

Hurt feelings don’t have to turn into huge fights. This relationship hack saves so much heartache and makes sure you’ll be heard and understood like never before. Here’s how to harness the power of I-statements
Relationship stages
A happy family enjoying playful quality time together, with parents and children smiling and bonding, symbolizing harmony and teamwork in parenting.

Successful Relationship with Different Parenting Styles

Navigating differences in parenting styles between partners is a common challenge. Unique backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences come into play, leading to conflicts in raising children together. This crucial topic can cause even easygoing couples to feel serious distress. Let's explore effective strategies to cultivate a harmonious parenting dynamic.
Relationship advice
Overhead view of a couple sitting on a couch having a serious discussion, symbolizing open communication and conflict resolution in relationships.

How to Discuss Issues Without Arguments in Relationships

Managing relationship conflicts can be tough, especially when arguments and unresolved issues accumulate. The strain of constant fighting is familiar to many couples. While not all problems have solutions, they don't have to severely strain your connection. Discover effective ways to address differences and change how you perceive conflicts.
Relationship advice
A young couple in cocktail party attire celebrating New Year’s Eve with a disco ball, symbolizing fresh beginnings, joy, and setting practical relationship resolutions together.

Resolutions to Build a Strong Relationship

Goodbye, larger-than-life unachievable goals. Looking for some simple ways to improve your relationship in the new year? Check out these five achievable resolution ideas and start 2023 right. This year, let's set ourselves up for success.
Couples therapy
A married couple sitting together in a therapist’s office, attentively listening during a psychological consultation, symbolizing preparation and openness for their first couples guidance session.

10 Tips to Prepare For Your First Couples Counselling Session

Attending your first relationship guidance session can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to! Here are 10 tips to help you prepare for your first couples therapy/relationship guidance session.
Relationship stages
Close-up of sparklers glowing in the dark, small fireworks held in hand, symbolizing rekindling passion and keeping the spark alive in a relationship.

How to Keep a Relationship Strong and Happy Long Term

Routine, security, and stability are all virtues of a long term relationship. The down side of these wonderful gains can sometimes be dullness, numbness, and stagnation. B o r i n g. We believe that long term relationships can be absolutely thrilling, with endless possibilities, adventures, and excitement.
Relationship advice
Couple standing back-to-back in the sun, symbolizing relationship tension, conflict, and the potential for reconnection through effective communication.

Stop Avoiding Fights: Arguing Is Healthy in a Relationship

In our relationships we strive for “picture-perfect” balance, harmony. And so we avoid conflict - which, according to all the data and science, is actually our sweet spot for growth as a couple. We reject the notion that conflict is bad, and invite people to step in with curiosity, adaptability, and vulnerability instead.
Relationship advice
A small heart-shaped lock attached to a fence, representing traditional views of commitment and contrasting the idea of love as growth and freedom rather than a restrictive “ball and chain.”

How to Have a Good Relationship That Doesn't Feel Like Work

Professionally, we strive for growth and opportunity. We read leadership books and listen to all the podcasts. We hire business coaches, and run side gigs galore. We want to climb the ladder, and we’re willing to learn, work overtime, dedicate our weekends, and prioritize work over our personal lives for the sake of our professional future. But, do we invest as much in our relational future?
Relationship advice
Person meditating alone in the mountains at golden hour, symbolizing solitude, inner strength, and self-validation through reflection and stillness.

How Meeting Yourself Can Help You be Better in a Relationship

Have you ever shared a challenge with your partner and been met with a “don’t worry, you’re great.” While our partner may mean to support us or cheer us up, this response can often end up making us feel alone and unseen. Here’s a Ritual reframe on what actually happens in those moments, and how we can turn them into deeply intimate moments of growth, between you and your partner, and you and you.
Relationship advice
Word “No” made out of flowers, symbolizing boundaries.

Healthy Relationship Tips: Celebrate the No

Saying no isn’t bad - it’s an important skill in every relationship Relationships require a lot from us, but they don’t require us to lose ourselves in them. How can we stay close to each other while still being true to ourselves? This is where people struggle most so often stuck in the belief that boundaries are meant to keep *the bad stuff* out, why do we need to put up boundaries with our loved ones? But we do. And here’s why.
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