Communication with your partner

There’s no such thing as a healthy relationship without open and honest communication between partners. Why? None of us are mind readers and we’re complex humans who have different likes and needs.

Not only is communication, verbal or non-verbal, important for partners to get to know each other and check in on each other, it is also crucial for expressing your rights to making choices about your health, and to listen to other’s concerns about their health.

What you should talk about:

  • consent: boundaries and comfort zones
  • getting STI tested and past sexual history
  • contraception for protection from STIs and pregnancy prevention
  • sexual identity

To learn more about different communication styles, how to talk about sex and relationships, how to improve your communication as a speaker and as a listener, what consent looks like,  check out the resources below.

For more information

Teen Talk: Communication

Types of communication, gender roles, listening to a friend, better communicator, better listener

U Matter: Choosing your communication style

Love is Respect: How can we communicate better?

Sex etc.: Relationships

Communication and Condoms: A romantic pair Draw the Line: Setting healthy relationship boundaries
Talking about sex with a partner doesn’t have to be scary Intimacy takes time

Scarleteen: Relationships

When, Where, and Why: Telling your partner you have an STI How to Clash with Love: Some conflict resolution basics Q is for Questioning
Yes, No, Maybe So: A sexual inventory stocklist Sorting Maybe from Can’t-be: Reality checking partnered sex wants & ideals Sexual negotiation for the long haul
Safer sex… for your heart Reciprocity, reloaded Be a blabbermouth! The whys, whats and hows of talking about sex with a partner