New Survey Finds Gap in Couples Talk

(NewsUSA) - A new national survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, found that couples reported difficulty in discussing relationship expectations (52%) and feelings (51%), (the very topics both men and women want to talk about more often with their partners.

Instead, couples are finding a safe haven in work (86%) and finances (81%), the topics they reported discussing most frequently. Even more surprising is the fact that birth control and family planning fall last on a couple's conversation agenda.

As a result, Ortho Women's Health & Urology has partnered with nationally recognized life coach Lauren Howard to launch Pill Lo Talk, an educational program that helps couples to bridge the gap between the topics they want to discuss more often and those they actually are discussing on a regular basis.

"No matter whom you're talking with - your husband, your best friend or your doctor - conversations about important topics can be difficult," says Ms. Howard. "Unlike concrete subjects such as work and who's picking up the dry-cleaning, people tend to invest their hearts into more emotional topics like relationship expectations, feelings and family planning."

The Pill Lo Talk program is designed to arm women with the tips and tools to help them venture outside of their conversation safe zones so that they can achieve deeper talks with their partners, family and friends. The program features a series of free, online guides that are customized to women in different life stages.

"The guides are fun, user-friendly resources that give women simple but effective steps to initiating and setting the stage for the conversations that they really want to be having," explains Ms. Howard. The Pill Lo Talk Guides are available at www.ThePill.com.

Among its many practical tips, Pill Lo Talk highlights the importance of non-verbal cues and the impact they can have on communication. "People don't realize that what they're not saying is actually speaking volumes to their partner," explains Ms. Howard. "Though often unintended, a nervous giggle or crossing of the arms can convey resistance or discomfort to a listener."

Why is deeper communication so important? The Pill Lo Talk survey found that women who share frequent, meaningful conversations with their partners have significantly greater satisfaction in their relationships than those who don't talk as frequently.