Healthy Relationships

Learning Objectives:

•  Identify characteristics of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships
• Explore how thoughts and behaviors impact relationship quality
• Practice skills for building and maintaining healthy connections with others

Part 1: Introduction

1 minute

“Hey, I wanted to chat with you briefly about relationships. Everyone deserves connections that make them feel respected and valued. Let’s talk about what makes relationships healthy versus unhealthy.”

Part 2: Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationship Qualities

2 minutes

“Let’s do a quick comparison:

Healthy relationships typically include:

• Mutual respect and trust
• Open and honest communication
• Supporting each other’s independence
• Setting and respecting boundaries
• Feeling safe to be yourself

Unhealthy relationships often involve:

• Disrespect or controlling behaviors
• Poor communication or dishonesty
• Isolation from friends or family
• Pressure or manipulation
• Feeling unsafe or walking on eggshells

Which of these qualities do you see in your relationships? What stands out to you?”

Part 3: One Key Skill + Application

1.5 minutes

“One powerful skill for building healthy relationships is using ‘I’ statements. Instead of saying ‘You never listen to me,’ you might say ‘I feel frustrated when I’m speaking and it seems like you’re focused elsewhere.’ This works because it expresses how you feel without accusing or blaming the other person, which usually leads to defensiveness.

Can you think of a situation where you could use an ‘I’ statement?”

Part 4: Personal Action Step

30 seconds

“Before we finish, think about one small step you could take this week to improve a relationship in your life. It could be:

• Having an honest conversation
• Setting a boundary
• Actively listening to someone important to you
• Checking in with how you speak to yourself

What’s one thing you might try?”

Remember: The most important relationship is the one with yourself. How you treat yourself sets the standard for how others treat you.