Psychologist Irina Solovyova specially for the magazine “Our Psychology” Statistics on divorce in our country do not look comforting and certainly do not encourage single people to join the ranks of those already “ringed.” And if you look at the number of married couples who come to a psychologist’s office with problems, it becomes very sad... People enter into marriage with the hope of “living together in peace and harmony,” so why do these same “peace and harmony” quickly disappear? And this is provided that they were nevertheless achieved, albeit for a short period... Oddly enough, disagreements in the family are not caused by some global issues such as different religions, discrepancies in views on life, principles of raising children, etc. . Marriage is destroyed by little things: he forgets to call back if he is late at work, and then walks with dirty shoes on the freshly washed floor, and she makes unnecessary purchases and fries cutlets differently than his mother did... Therefore, the success of a marriage is not determined by the strength of mutual feelings - alas, this still doesn’t say anything, and what would have happened to Romeo and Juliet in the 20th year of marriage is unknown. Most likely, the same as their parents... The success of a marriage is determined by the ability to communicate and build relationships. And this includes many skills: the ability to listen and hear your partner. Accept his needs, even if these desires seem ridiculous to you (“Why does she need 25 lipstick? They’re all the same...”, “Why does he like watching these matches? They they’re so boring..."). Respect his point of view, even if you don’t agree with it (as in “The Master and Margarita”: “You see, professor,” Berlioz responded with a forced smile, “we respect your great knowledge, but we ourselves We take a different point of view on this issue”). The ability to make compromises, but at the same time, the ability to sometimes give in and sometimes insist on one’s own. Balance is important here! The ability to express your own needs - directly and specifically. Not “My dear, good one, guess for yourself...” Because another person, no matter how loving he may be, is not a telepath, and will not be able to guess. How you show yourself in contact, what you bring to the relationship, what strategies you use, what strengths and weaknesses you have, and how your partner is doing with all this, the following psychotherapeutic exercises and games can help identify. They are designed for two and allow you to explore what is happening between you. So, psychological games and exercises to improve relationships. "Acquaintance". You will need 2 white A4 sheets. You can draw with anything except markers and pens. You go to different corners of the room so as not to see each other’s drawings before they are finally ready. You can't peek! And you make a drawing called “This is me.” You can draw anything and however you want - directly yourself or a metaphor, concretely or abstractly... Time is not limited, but it’s better not longer than half an hour. If someone finishes earlier, wait for your partner. If it’s hard to wait, then think about how often your pace doesn’t match? How does this affect relationships? Do you have enough tolerance and patience to wait for your partner?.. After both drawings are ready, you meet again - and your drawings meet. Everyone talks about their drawing: what kind of person I am, what kind of character, qualities I have... You can only talk about your partner’s drawing in the following formulations: “Looking at your drawing, I feel this...”, “This came as a surprise to me...” Some things will be revealed. then unknown sides of your personalities. And finally, try to combine your drawings, find a common idea for them, perhaps write a story. For example, she is a “liana” because she is “changeable and flexible.” He is a “sloth” because he is “leisurely” and “likes to sleep.” What they have in common is that they both live in the jungle. And besides, a vine can curl around a sloth... “Dialogue on paper” You need an A3 sheet and one colored chalk or pencil. You can no longer change the color during the drawing process. Try to choose contrasting colors and