Improve Marital Intimacy
When talking about marital intimacy you might notice some couples refer to this as meaning exclusively sex. Marital intimacy can include sex but also includes emotional bonding and physical touch that doesn’t include sex. While sex in marriage is important, intimacy includes sex but also includes much more.
What is Marital Intimacy
Intimacy is a process couples go through, it’s not a singular event. It’s about building closeness, including emotional closeness, physical closeness and spiritual closeness.
Intimacy means: “in – to – me – you – see.”
For marital intimacy to blossom, both partners have to be willing to share of themselves with each other. And to be able to do this, relationships should be created on a foundation of trust, understanding, empathy and curiosity about each other.
Different types of marital intimacy
- Emotional intimacy – emotional intimacy includes being able to truly share who you are with your spouse. Able to express your inner most feelings, thoughts, and concerns. To let your spouse into your life, your experiences, etc. To be able to express your hopes and dreams.
- Cognitive intimacy – this is more about intellectual intimacy. One that stimulates your thinking. Where you can share your thoughts about life events, about academic issues, about life and leisure activities, etc.
- Sexual intimacy – sexual intimacy as it refers to marital intimacy is about feeling safe and being able to be vulnerable with your spouse. To be able to communicate openly about your sex life. To respect and understand each others needs sexually. And to be understanding and respectful of each other’s boundaries.
- Physical intimacy – physical intimacy includes physical acts of reaching out to each other. This includes hand holding, hugging, kissing, etc.
- Spiritual intimacy -spiritual intimacy is being able to be vulnerable and open about your spiritual practice and beliefs with your spouse. To be able to share similarities and also share differences.
Intimacy is vulnerable.
Spouses can create a wonderful bond with each other. Marriages that foster safety, true mutual understanding, and caring for one another can be extremely rewarding. Being seen, heard and understood by a spouse is a precious gift that can make martial intimacy thrive.
If you’re struggling with marital intimacy in your marriage, please consider professional help. A trained marriage counselor or couple therapist can help.
By: Anna McElearney, LMFT, LPC, NCC
Blog is intended for information and educational purposes only.
