Emotional support, for some, is one of the hardest elements to give and receive and can only be accomplished with effective communication.  This does not mean verbal communication, but effective communication.  As the foundation of your relationship grows, your need for emotional support becomes stronger because your needs become greater.  You may be asking yourself “what does this really mean?”  In every relationship, you go through times of need: sadness, happiness, times of being worried, scared, nervous or even unsure about how to handle certain situations.  This is where emotional support can present itself in many different ways.  This is also an element that you should just feel without having to ask if your partner is in need of emotional support. 

            Have you had to deal with a death of a parent, loss of a job, getting a promotion, passing a class, or having to prepare for a work presentation?  It is during these times when you are in need of that emotional support from your partner.  You may need for that person to just sit and hold you, talk to you, grab your hand and look into your eyes, take you out to dinner, or provide you some guidance.  Or, if you need to provide this support, do you know when your partner is struggling without them having to tell you?   

To provide true emotional support, a deep emotional connection must be established.  You need to know what your partner is feeling without them having to tell you.  You need to be in tune with every emotion they are feeling.  This can only be done once you have mastered the art of communication and have gained their trust and respect.  A deep emotional connection is one that is established over time, then presents itself without effort.  When you are able to provide true emotional support for the person you love, you will know that person almost as well as they know themselves.  You will be able to look into their eyes and see pain, or read their body language and know they are in need of some answers or support.  In turn, if you are feeling the need for this support, that person is there for you.  Of all the elements, emotional support is the one that is most ambiguous. 

The spectrum of emotional support can stretch from the need to hold your partner’s hand or just rub their shoulder, to the need for them to discuss what is bothering them, to the need to have a deep and meaningful emotional connection.  As with trust, you must be willing to open your heart to someone.  You must be willing to take the risk of leaving yourself exposed in order to achieve this mostly undefined element.