In satisfying relationships, people look for ways to connect with each other all the time. Gottman calls this a bid for connection.

Sometimes bids are obvious, like reaching out to hold hands, and other times they may be so subtle that they aren’t even recognized as an attempt to connect. When a bid to connect is received, one can acknowledge the bid and turn toward the bidder, turn away, or turn against. Turning toward, even in small ways, builds a deep connection over time.

In this week’s episode, Mandy Mitchell joins me to talk about what it means to turn toward each other and how to recognize your partner’s bids for connection – even when they are masked with negativity.