Harnessing the five love languages for a strong friendship

It’s been almost 30 years since Dr Gary Chapman, a Christian pastor and relationships counsellor, released his popular manual, The 5 Love Languages: the Secret to Love that Lasts. According to Dr Chapman’s taxonomy, there are five ways most of us express and would like to receive love: gifts, physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time and acts of service.

These five categories, Dr Chapman posits, offer an uncomplicated framework wherein couples can communicate and understand what each other needs to feel valued. At the core of Chapman’s book is the idea that, given five simple categories, couples can break through the communication barrier and become better lovers. It’s a simple idea, one based around the belief that a healthy relationship is maintained through optimum communication.

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