Don't use you partner as a punching bag.

Do you direct all your anger at you partner? If so is that fair? Why do we blow our top at our partner? Why don't we direct you anger at the area that causes it? Does work make you anger and you bring it home? These questions I believe that you already know the answer to. You partner does not deserve to be your punching bag. Yes they need to be there to support you when you are having a bad time of it. However if you want to keep your relationship strong you need to try and focus the anger in another way. Maybe exercise would do it for you, or maybe something artistic, heck you can even take it out by having sex. Just to come home and unload on your partner is not fair to them or you. This only creates a feeling of trying to stay out of you way for your partner. Why would they want to be your support if all you do is direct the anger at them? Think about that for a while, then the next time you have a bad day and come home angry try a different approach. Calmly sit down and explain your feelings to your partner, don't raise you voice or throw things. Allow your partner time to process these feelings and help you direct them in positive ways. Not only will the two of you feel better but most likely the problem will become less of a stress to your relationship.

Listen.

One of the hardest skill to master in a relationship is the art of listening. We all want to add our two cents worth and can't wait to bust into the conversation to do so. Sometimes however we just need to listen and not offer any advice or insight to the situation. Sometimes people just need to vent out frustrations and the person they want to do this with is you. It is hard as the person that just listens to not want to help out, but this only makes matters worse. The person venting just needs to get their feelings out in the open and when they do the release comes. Usually if they have a point that is not a valid one they will see the errors of their way as they vent. They might come across as yelling at you but they are not, they just want to pretend they are letting the person or situation that upset them have it. The yelling or raising of their voice is just a natural defense and another means of letting the stress out. The best thing you can do is hold all comments to the end, after they have told or screamed the whole situation and then run down scenarios with them as you try to find solutions or comfort.