Jan 07, 2025
As part of a two-week emotional wellbeing strengthening program, a session titled "Healthy Relationships - Commu- nication, Boundaries, and Empathy" was organized on 19th October 2024 for the students of Class IX. The distin- guished guest speaker, Mr. Anas Saeed, a teacher from Progressive English School, was introduced with a warm welcome by Ms. Lamees, the school counselor. Ms. Sujitra R., Principal of Progressive English School, addressed the students, underscoring the importance of building and nurturing healthy relationships.
The session focused on three essential pillars of healthy relationships: communication, boundaries, and empathy, each contributing to respect, understanding, and trust. Communication in relationships should be open and honest, allowing individuals to share their thoughts and concerns without fear of judgment. Listening actively is equally crucial, involving full attention and acknowledgment of the other person's feelings. Non-verbal cues-such as body language, tone, and facial expressions-also play a key role in effective communication, helping to avoid misunder- standings. Constructive conflict resolution, centered on finding solutions and using "I" statements, was discussed as a way to express emotions without assigning blame.
The importance of boundaries was highlighted next, emphasizing the need to respect each other's personal space and emotional, physical, and mental limits. Setting limits helps define the time, energy, or emotional investment one is comfortable with, and it's essential to communicate these limits clearly. Equally important is honoring others' bound- aries, as any violation can erode trust and respect. Flexibility is also vital, as boundaries can evolve, and open commu- nication about shifting needs ensures both individuals feel respected.
Empathy was introduced as the third pillar, focusing on understanding each other's perspectives to deepen emotional connection. Validating emotions-even when differing in views-demonstrates respect and can help ease conflicts. Empathy also involves showing compassion and support, especially during stressful times, as being a source of comfort strengthens bonds. Emotional availability, or being present and responsive to others' feelings, was also emphasized as a way to make individuals feel valued and heard.
The program concluded with Hamiz from Class IX-D expressing gratitude to Mr. Anas Saeed for his valuable insights. The session provided students with practical tools for building fulfilling, respectful relationships, making a positive impact on all who attended.
