How Love Languages Can Help You Build Closer Relationships

The 7 Love Languages: Building a Stronger, More Connected Relationship
By Women’s Counseling Center of Denver

When it comes to creating a healthy, fulfilling relationship, love alone isn’t always enough. Feeling truly seen, valued, and emotionally safe in your relationship often comes down to how love is expressed and received. That’s where understanding the 7 Love Languages can make a world of difference.

At the Women’s Counseling Center of Denver, we work with women every day who want more intimacy, clarity, and emotional connection in their relationships. Whether you're dating, in a long-term relationship, or married, learning to speak each other's love language can transform how close and connected you feel.

Why Love Languages Matter

Love languages are the emotional cues that make us feel loved. And here’s the thing: your partner might be expressing love in ways that don’t register for you—and vice versa. When partners speak different emotional languages, misunderstandings and distance can grow.

By learning to recognize and meet each other's emotional needs in a way that resonates, you increase the chances of feeling secure, appreciated, and bonded. In relationship therapy for women in Denver, we often help clients identify their own love languages and decode what their partners are craving emotionally.

The 7 Love Languages & How They Show Up in Real Life

The original 5 love languages by Dr. Gary Chapman have been widely embraced. But as relationships have evolved, therapists and relationship experts have expanded the list to include two more that feel especially relevant today. Here’s a breakdown of each one, with examples.

1. Words of Affirmation

What it is: Verbal expressions of love, appreciation, encouragement, and validation.

In real life: Saying, "I'm proud of you for how you handled that situation," or leaving a note that says, "You make my life better just by being in it."

Why it matters: For people who value affirming words, silence or lack of positive feedback can feel like neglect. Therapy for women in Denver often includes identifying unmet emotional needs like this.

2. Quality Time

What it is: Giving your undivided attention and being fully present together.

In real life: Putting your phone away during dinner to have a meaningful conversation or planning a weekend hike just for the two of you.

Why it matters: If your love language is quality time, shared moments—even small ones—build intimacy. Distraction or feeling like an afterthought can hurt deeply.

3. Acts of Service

What it is: Doing things to make your partner’s life easier, less stressful, or more enjoyable.

In real life: Taking the car for an oil change, picking up groceries, or helping out when your partner is overwhelmed without being asked.

Why it matters: These thoughtful actions say, "I see you. I care about your well-being. I'm here for you."

4. Physical Touch

What it is: Non-sexual and sexual touch that communicates closeness, comfort, and affection.

In real life: Holding hands during a walk, cuddling on the couch, or giving a long hug at the end of a hard day.

Why it matters: Touch is a primary form of emotional connection for many. Without it, partners may feel distant or unloved.

5. Gift Giving

What it is: Tangible symbols of love that reflect thoughtfulness and intention.

In real life: Bringing home their favorite coffee just because, or gifting something meaningful that shows you were paying attention.

Why it matters: Gifts don’t have to be extravagant. For some, they are cherished reminders that they’re remembered and valued.

6. Emotional Security

What it is: Creating a consistent environment of emotional safety, trust, and support.

In real life: Saying "I'm not going anywhere, even when things get hard," or listening non-defensively when your partner shares something vulnerable.

Why it matters: This love language is vital for those with anxious or avoidant attachment styles. It's a focus in many sessions of women's relationship therapy in Denver.

7. Shared Experiences

What it is: Creating memories and growth through shared activities, learning, or adventures.

In real life: Taking a cooking class together, traveling, or starting a shared hobby that becomes "your thing."

Why it matters: For some women, connection deepens through co-creation and doing life with someone, not just alongside them.

What If You and Your Partner Speak Different Love Languages?

This is incredibly common. One partner may feel loved through quality time, while the other prioritizes acts of service. The key is not to change who you are, but to stretch into expressing love in ways that matter to your partner.

That might mean:

• Asking, "What helps you feel the most loved by me?"

• Being open to learning new ways of showing affection

• Noticing the ways your partner already tries to connect, even if it’s not your language

Our work at the Women’s Counseling Center of Denver often includes helping women recognize their emotional patterns, communicate their needs clearly, and build bridges where disconnects exist.

How Therapy Can Help You Speak (and Receive) Love More Clearly

Learning to speak love languages is about more than just gestures—it’s about vulnerability, communication, and self-awareness.

At our Denver therapy practice, we work with women who want to:

• Understand their emotional needs and boundaries

• Improve communication and connection in their relationships

• Stop people-pleasing and start relating from a place of self-worth

• Build relationships that reflect their deepest values, not just their fears

You don’t have to do this alone. Whether you’re in a new relationship, long-term partnership, or somewhere in between, women’s relationship therapy in Denver can help you build something real, reciprocal, and deeply fulfilling.

Ready to Feel More Understood in Love?

If you’re tired of feeling disconnected or like your needs don’t matter, therapy can be a powerful way to come back to yourself—and to create more authentic connection with others.

The Women’s Counseling Center of Denver offers individualized, nonjudgmental support for women who are ready to shift relationship patterns and feel more empowered in love.

Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how our women’s therapists can support you in speaking (and receiving) love in a whole new way.