Help with relationship & family connections

Relationships can be hard

Strong personal connections can help improve your mental and physical health, not to mention your overall quality of life. Our Student and Family Assistance Program offers advice for building and maintaining positive, enriching relationships with your loved ones throughout every stage of your life – and theirs.

Explore the tips and resources below, or call us at 800-236-3231 to learn more about the help we offer.

Build strong connections

There’s no more rewarding or worthwhile effort than devoting extra time and attention to connecting with your family.

  • Commit to one-on-one time. Even 15 minutes a day with your child or one media-free dinner per week with your spouse or partner can help you bond, reconnect, and learn more about each other’s lives.
  • Express appreciation. It can be easy to take for granted that the people we love know we love them. Making a point to praise your child for their uniqueness or express appreciation for your spouse’s efforts can go a long way.
  • Encourage independence. Show your child that you respect their opinions and interests, and praise their efforts to help build confidence and pride. Support your partner’s time with friends or individual hobbies, and take the opportunity to indulge in your own.
  • Building Connection in Families [PDF] gives more tips for strengthening and deepening your closest relationships.

Communicate through conflict

Even the strongest relationships hit roadblocks. It’s important to acknowledge that conflict is normal – and make an effort to handle it with empathy and patience.

  • Be clear about your feelings. Don’t expect your partner to read your mind. Be straightforward about how you feel, and always check your assumptions to confirm that you understand what your partner is trying to say.
  • Argue constructively. Avoid blaming or judging. Listen with an open mind, and take responsibility for describing your own feelings. Take a breather if things get too heated, and don’t be afraid to use humor to break tension and reconnect with your partner.
  • Accept your differences. You don’t always need to agree. In harmonious relationships, both partners respect and consider each other’s opinions and points of view. Learning from and challenging each other can enhance your relationship.
  • Be quick to forgive. Let go of the past, and avoid holding grudges. Communicating effectively means working through issues and moving on, together.

Additional resources

Find a variety of education and resources from these trusted organizations.

  • Loveandlogic.com provides simple and practical techniques to help parents and teachers have less stress and more fun while raising responsible kids.
  • Focus on the Family (focusonthefamily.com) offers advice for Christian parents of all stages and covers topics like discipline, protection, safety, and sexuality.
  • Helpguide.org provides expert information and non-commercial resources for mental and emotional health, active healthy lifestyles, and aging issues.
  • BabyCenter (babycenter.com) offers information about pregnancy and parenting young children.