{"id":119120,"date":"2020-05-19T11:00:11","date_gmt":"2020-05-19T10:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/?p=119120"},"modified":"2023-03-14T05:24:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T05:24:43","slug":"feeling-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.harleytherapy.co.uk\/counselling\/feeling-connection.htm","title":{"rendered":"Feeling Connected When Apart (When Loved Ones Move Away)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"feeling<\/a>

By: Pedro Ribeiro Sim\u00f5es<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

by Andrea M. Darcy<\/span><\/p>\n

Has your partner started working overseas? Kids gone to university<\/a>? Or best friend moved abroad<\/a>?<\/p>\n

What can you do to keep feeling connected<\/a> when apart?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Does feeling connected really matter?<\/h2>\n

Yes, connection really matters. Even if it’s not in person. So it’s definitely worth investing the time and energy to keep the relationship alive.<\/p>\n

A study at an urban medical clinic in Buffalo, New York<\/span> <\/a>showed that even if we just perceive that we have social support, it not only means we are more likely to be in better physical health, but that we are less likely to to suffer anxiety and depression<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What connection is and isn\u2019t\u00a0<\/em><\/h2>\n

It can help to remind ourselves what connection really is.<\/strong> Connection is linked to <\/strong>authenticity<\/a>. It means we can fully be ourselves around someone, even as we are happy for them to be ourselves around us.<\/p>\n

And this two-way street has to continue with things like<\/strong> communication<\/a>. And that communication has to be healthy. We need to be honest<\/a>, to listen<\/a>, to talk without resorting to blame<\/a> (read our article on healthy communication<\/a> if you could use a brush up on this front).<\/p>\n

5 Tips for feeling connected when apart<\/h2>\n

So how can we be ourselves, communicate well, and share experiences when we are stuck connecting at a distance?<\/em><\/p>\n

1. Learn how to relax on video conferencing.<\/span><\/h3>\n

All those years of our parents pulling out a camera and saying \u2018smile\u2019 mean<\/strong> many of us end up adults who naturally \u2018perform\u2019 for cameras.\u00a0 We go into fake, shiny happy<\/a> mode without realising what we are doing, or we present an awkward, half-version of ourselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But attempting video conferencing over just phone calls is worth it. A study from the University of California<\/span><\/a>\u00a0found that talking over video created a greater bonding experience than both phone and messaging conversations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n