Healthy Relationships 101: Keep It Real, Keep It Respectful

Welcome to the spring semester! As we reconnect with friends, colleagues and classmates this semester, navigating relationship dynamics may present challenges for some. Whether it is friendships, partnerships or professional relationships, everyone deserves to experience connections built on respect, trust and care.

At our core, we know healthy relationships are foundational to a thriving campus community. They flourish with open communication, mutual respect, kindness and healthy boundaries. As we dive into the spring semester, we encourage you to model and promote these behaviors while supporting anyone who may find themselves in unhealthy situations.

What Makes a Relationship Healthy?

Healthy relationships embody the following key traits:

• Comfortable Pace – Relationships should feel natural and free of pressure.
• Honesty – Transparency builds trust and fosters understanding.
• Respect – Valuing each other’s individuality and boundaries.
• Kindness – Supporting each other with care and compassion.
• Healthy Conflict – Disagreements are handled constructively, without harm.
• Trust – Confidence in one another’s intentions and actions.
• Independence – Maintaining personal space and individuality.
• Equality – Fairness and balance in decision-making and efforts.
• Taking Responsibility – Owning your actions and working to improve.
• Fun – Enjoying each other’s company and creating joyful moments.

Relationships also thrive when partners can set healthy boundaries. Boundaries help you communicate your needs to your friends, loved ones and partners. They define what you are comfortable with and how you want to be treated within your relationships. Developing and maintaining boundaries within your relationships allows for autonomy and mental and physical well-being.

Boundaries can fall into several different categories:

• Physical Boundaries – Physical boundaries focus on your personal space and how you allow others to interact with it, as well as your bodily space.
• Sexual Boundaries – Consent to any sexual activity shows that you are setting sexual boundaries about what kinds of activities you are willing to participate in. Consent must be clearly communicated among partners; it is never implied and can be rescinded at any time.
• Emotional Boundaries – Emotional boundaries set a limit on the emotional energy you can expend in a relationship. This may mean setting a boundary to protect your own mental well-being, not discussing certain topics, or avoiding situations that could be too emotionally charged.
• Time Boundaries – Protecting your time to focus on your priorities and personal life is important within your relationship. Other time-related boundaries may include asking friends, partners or loved ones not to expect you to answer the phone or text back when you are at school or work to respect your time.

Personal boundaries can evolve over time and may vary depending on the situation or the people involved. Communication is key in setting and maintaining boundaries. Effectively expressing your needs to your friends, family and partners grows your relationships while establishing your needs within these types of relationships. If your personal boundaries are not being respected, communicate them again and stand firm.

Let’s Build a Community of Support

Relationships require care and effort to thrive. Whether you’re supporting a student or colleague, or reflecting on your own relationships, remember help is always available.

Our campus offers a variety of resources to foster healthy relationships and support setting healthy boundaries. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you or someone you know needs support. Together, we can create a campus culture where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered.

Campus Resources

The Women and Gender Resource Center: The WGRC provides free, confidential and voluntary counseling and advocacy services to members of the University of Alabama community who are victims/survivors of interpersonal violence. Call 205-348-5040 to schedule an appointment.

The Counseling Center: The Counseling Center helps UA students, undergraduate and graduate, achieve academic success and personal growth through a comprehensive counseling center model focused on providing quality counseling and psychological services, outreach, consultative services, and the training of mental health professionals. Call 205-348-3863 to schedule a screening or same-day consult appointment.

The Office of Title IX: The Office of the Title IX Coordinator works with University administration, departments, students, faculty, staff, campus police and other support services to ensure that University policies and programs foster a campus community free of illegal gender discrimination and sexual violence. Call 205-348-5496 for support.

Employee Assistance Program: For employees, the EAP service offers emotional support, work-life, legal, financial, online support, computerized cognitive behavioral therapy, self-care and crisis support for free.

Informal Resolution Services: Informal Resolution Services offers workplace conflict resolution services for UA faculty and staff.

Let’s make this semester one of connection, growth and mutual respect.