Common Communication Challenges Women Face —And How to Effectively Navigate Them

Many women face challenges in how we communicate, whether it’s with our partners or our colleagues. The specifics of the situation don’t really matter, but the results are the same: We’re left feeling resentful and frustrated. For instance, according to relationship specialist Amy Kipp, LMFT, we often have a hard time expressing our needs and asking for them to be met. We fear that we’ll be seen as needy, or we’ll be inconveniencing people, she said. We fear that others will think we’re high-maintenance, said Elizabeth Gillette, LCSW, an attachment-focused therapist, who specializes in working with individuals and couples as their families grow. And it doesn’t matter whether the request is something small—like asking for a hug—or something big—like asking for a raise, said Kipp, who has a private practice in San Antonio, Texas. It all feels difficult, maybe even impossible. We also struggle with being direct. We use words like “just,” “only,” and “kind of,” said Cheryl Sexton, LMFT, a psychotherapist in private practice who specializes in working with families and couples in Chandler, Ariz. We minimize our own message, water down our requests, and ask for permission, she said. We might say things like: “I was just calling to check on that deadline” or “Can we talk about that report that was due?” We tend to start sentences with an apology, Sexton said, such as: “I am sorry, but can I have a minute of your time?” or ...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: General Habits Mental Health and Wellness Relationships Self-Esteem Self-Help Stress Success & Achievement Women's Issues Active Listening Assertiveness Effective Communication Gender Bias Source Type: blogs