When couples go to a marriage counselor there are three possible outcomes: (1) they get a fresh start, (2) they stay together and "cope with" a tense or sour marriage, or (3) they separate. Every couple wants the first outcome. They want to have a fresh start and be happy together. If they can't get a fresh start, they will jump to the third choice-separation-because they don't want the second. They have already been coping and are tired of it. Problems and adversity are not the crux of marital discord. All couples face adversity, but it doesn't cause problems for harmonious couples. Couples with satisfying marriages don't "cope" with their lives and with each other. They don't work on their marriages. The strength of their marriages lies not in their ability to cope with their problems, but in their ability to keep their bearings and to stay close. This book shows couples how to do that.

Although sexuality is an integral part of close romantic relationships, research linking these two constructs has been less systematic than other areas pertaining to close relationships. To date, researchers in communication, sociology, family studies, psychology, and psychiatry, have made significant advances in both of these fields. The editors' goal is to integrate this research into one volume. They bring together major scholars from the diversity of fields working on close relationship topics to examine past contributions and new directions in sexuality. The emphasis is on theoretical integration and stimulation, methodological rigor, and critical analysis. This volume explores: *early sexual experiences and their impact on late life sexuality; *how life's stresses impact sexuality and satisfaction with closeness; *the affect of postpartum depression on sexuality; and *the relationship between control, power, anger, as well as revenge and sexual processes in couples. The Handbook of Sexuality in Close Relationships is intended for students and researchers in the disciplines of social, clinical, developmental, and health psychology; family studies; counseling; and interpersonal, family, and health communication. An excellent reference in advanced courses in close relationships taught in psychology, communications, sociology, anthropology, and family studies, the material in Part V will also appeal to clinical psychologists, health professionals, and policymakers.

An exploration of the therapeutic relationship from a variety of theoretical positions for students as well as new and experienced practitioners

The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships serves as a benchmark of the current state of scholarship in this dynamic field synthesizing the extant theoretical and empirical literature, tracing its historical roots, and making recommendations for future directions. The volume addresses a broad range of established and emerging topics including: theoretical and methodological issues that influence the study of personal relationships; research and theory on relationship development, the nature and functions of personal relationships across the lifespan; individual differences and their influences on relationships; relationship processes such as cognition, emotion, and communication; relational qualities such as satisfaction and commitment; environmental influences on personal relationships; and maintenance and repair of relationships. The authors are experts from a variety of disciplines including several subfields of psychology, communication, family studies and sociology who have made major contributions to the understanding of relationships.

In her first new book in fifteen years, personal development pioneer Shakti Gawain encapsulates a lifetime of teaching and learning to offer her most trenchant and universal work to date. These exercises and insights have been tested and refined in the popular workshops Gawain has taught for decades. They reflect the fact that each of us is in relationship with romantic partners, family, coworkers, and so on — but also with internal core beliefs and a variety of selves, including primary, disowned, and shadow selves. Her revelatory teaching incorporates strategies for becoming aware of hidden beliefs, applying the Voice Dialogue process developed by therapists Hal and Sidra Stone, and learning to experience our every relationship as a path to self-knowledge, intrapersonal enhancement, and even community and global betterment.

If you're about to walk down the aisle, you want every day to be as happy as your special day. However while there is lots of advice on planning a wedding, there's precious little to prepare you for the rest of your life together. If you're lucky your mother will offer a few tips and your father will makes some jokes but otherwise you're on your own. Perhaps it's some years since you promised to love and cherish each other and the pressures of everyday life have taken the shine off things. Throw in the sort of crises that everyone faces at some point—like financial problems, losing a parent, family rows and infidelity—and it's easy for the love between the two of you to be seriously damaged. So what are the secrets of happy couples that stay strong rather than grow apart? In this groundbreaking book, marital therapist Andrew G. Marshall, explains that it's not chemistry that keeps partners connected but skills. It's likely that you didn't learn these skills as a child because your parents didn't know them or couldn't explain them. Maybe they avoided conflict, fought like cat or dog or split up when you were young so never showed you to fall out safely, make-up and resolve differences. Fortunately, it's never too late to learn how to communicate better and repair your relationship—even if you're on the verge of splitting up. Marshall draws on thirty plus years working with over three thousand clients to give you his tried and test tool kit for a happy marriage. It includes: - The rules for constructive arguments. - How to be a better listener. - Use carrots rather than sticks. - How to forgive and move on.

This Handbook presents up-to-date scholarship on the causes and predictors, processes, and consequences of divorce and relationship dissolution. Featuring contributions from multiple disciplines, this Handbook reviews relationship termination, including variations depending on legal status, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. The Handbook focuses on the often-neglected processes involved as the relationship unfolds, such as infidelity, hurt, and remarriage. It also covers the legal and policy aspects, the demographics, and the historical aspects of divorce. Intended for researchers, practitioners, counselors, clinicians, and advanced students in psychology, sociology, family studies, communication, and nursing, the book serves as a text in courses on divorce, marriage and the family, and close relationships.