What is Your Definition of a Partnership?

When you think of the word partnership, you might think of working as a team, doing something together, or tackling tasks by splitting up the work. When it comes to a romantic relationship, the idea of what a partnership is will look different from couple to couple. Below are some questions to help you explore what your definition of a partnership is, and what you see you and your partner's roles in that partnership as. You can also explore these questions with your partner and have a dialogue about how you both see your partnership, as well as ways your partnership may have changed over time.

-What is your definition of a being a partner in a relationship/marriage?

-How do you and your partner work as a team?

-How do you and your partner make decisions? For example, does each person have equal say in decisions, or are each of you in charge of different areas? What topics do you tend to make decisions on? Your partner? Would you like to see this change at all?

-How would you describe your role in your relationship? Your partner's role? Are there aspects of your role you would like to change? Are there aspects of your partner's role you would like to see change? If so, what are they?

-What are the values you hold as important for your relationship? Does your relationship as it is currently align with these values? Why or why not?

-How do you and your partner support each other? Are there ways your partner can better support you in the way you need? Are there ways you can better support your partner in the way they need?

-What kinds of boundaries do you and your partner have with each other? What kinds of boundaries do you and your partner have around your relationship?

-Have your answers to any of the above questions changed over time? If so, how?

If as you explore the above questions you feel like you may need some guidance in applying them to your own relationship, couples therapy can be a safe place to receive this guidance. A therapist can help you and your partner explore what each of your definitions of what a partnership looks like are and figure out ways to combine those definitions into something that works for you both.