A Harvard psychiatrist has claimed that asking a simple six-word question can significantly improve romantic relationships. Dr Ashwini Nadkarni, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, suggests that partners should ask each other: 'What makes you feel most loved?'
According to Dr Nadkarni, this question helps couples understand each other's love languages and can 'bring people together in a way that dating for five years might not'. She recommends that both partners answer the question, as it 'works best when both partners answer'.
The psychiatrist explained that people often consult her about how to become more in tune with their partner. She noted that individuals may have different attachment styles, such as avoidant, anxious, or secure, which influence how they give and receive love.
Dr Nadkarni advised that the conversation should ideally reveal preferences for acts of service, emotional presence, or physical affection. She added that couples should revisit this question periodically, as answers 'can change with life stages, with stress, with illness, with parenting'.
'Even after 25 years together, your relationship can still develop more nuance and layers,' she said. The psychiatrist believes this simple question enables partners to feel 'really seen, valued and secure'.
