The Importance of Telling Someone You Love Them

Psychologist Leslie Becker-Phelps tells WebMD that the emotional experience of love kept to yourself does little to build and maintain relationships with others. In short, expressing love is essential to maintaining healthy relationships. Becker-Phelps explains telling someone you love them can help you solidify your bond and keep a relationship strong. When paired with acts of love, direct expressions of affection can be a good way for your family to show each other that they care.

Telling someone you love them does not always need to involve the words “I love you." Indeed, Family Therapist Marilyn Wedge explains that helping someone feel loved can take many forms and more importantly, that everyone requires a different type of loving message, such as kind acts, including providing moral support, listening, self-sacrifice, spending time together and gift-giving. For example, your best friend may feel loved when you spend quality time with her, and you may feel your parents' love most intensely when they listen to you and spend time on projects you enjoy sharing with them.