Open dialogue and free speech are extremely important in the maintenance of healthy relationships. A relationship is a trust built between individuals that indirectly implies the willingness to listen to one another’s grievances and opinions. Even if your partner feels differently about a topic, it is important to listen to them and validate their viewpoints.

When a relationship starts showing warning signs of hardship, it is important to take a step back and evaluate what the issue is. In order to do this, all parties must be present with one another and take turns listening to the other’s grievances. A relationship will not flourish if speech is limited by one or all members.

In most counseling situations, couples are taught that they must not speak for the other member of their relationship because they do not have a full scope of what their partner may be going through. It is very important to realize that while a relationship is a harmony between individuals, individual thought and opinion is extremely important to the survival of the relationship. Thus, free speech is not limited to just the media, but is important in maintaining personal relationships as well.